


Love As Sweet As Sugar

by Eskayrobot, Poaxath



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Ben and Rey grew up together, F/M, Fluff, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Not Related, No underage stuff happens, Please don't make this weird, Rey Kenobi, Smut, lawyer ben
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-03 05:48:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 24,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15812679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eskayrobot/pseuds/Eskayrobot, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poaxath/pseuds/Poaxath
Summary: Ben and Rey grew up together, thick as thieves. Even as they grow apart and back together, their bond remains just as strong. But could it be even stronger?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome, welcome! We have a little mini fic to share with you all. Please heed the tags. Ben and Rey are not related in this, but they've had a very sibling-type love growing up.
> 
> Moodboard by the fabulous and wonderful Desiree <3  
> 

Rey Kenobi can’t remember a time in her life that did not involve Ben Solo. Which made sense, as he was there the day she was born, a miserably bored 10-year-old who definitely did not want to hold the tiny bundle and only did for the millisecond that it took for his mother, Leia, to snap a picture. Rey loves that picture, because she’s screaming and he’s wincing and it’s hilarious. Ben loves that picture because he says that that is the moment he knew he’d be stuck with her forever, for better or for worse. This usually leads to Rey rolling her eyes and elbowing him in the stomach and reminding him that he could do a lot worse for a best friend than the amazingly awesome Rey Kenobi.

It took Ben all of three years to become attached to Rey. They lived on a cul-de-sac devoid of any other children, so he was always stuck watching the baby. He’d avoided her like the plague from birth to age one and sneered at her from age one to two, even as she smiled only for him. But when she was three and began to have opinions, loud and definitive, he decided he liked her. So what if he was thirteen and Poe said it was weird to be friends with a toddler. Ben liked that she followed him around and that she was excited to play, and he liked feeling like an adult when he was asked to babysit her. He even liked it when he saved her from falling, moving with reflexes that would lend to sports in his high school years to always catch her before she fell. It made him feel awesome, like a superhero. To little Rey, he was a superhero.

Rey was his biggest fan at any sporting event he tried out for. Basketball, baseball, lacrosse, and even hockey, she was always jumping up and down and cheering for Ben, Ben, Ben! Ben was equally as supportive. He went to every dance recital she had, sitting through both her tap and ballet numbers, with patience that melted the hearts of every parent and grandparent who saw. He even helped her remember her steps, taking time out of his busy high schooler life to shuffle-ball-change with a child. It wasn’t completely selfless, of course. The older girls at Rey’s dance school, the ones his own age, also melted to see this big jock from their school going so soft for a little girl and well...Ben was never without a date. His father, Han, absent as he was, was thrilled at the news that his son was a chick magnet. Leia would just scoff and remind Ben to be respectful. Rey had no idea.

College was a little harder for them to weather. With Ben eighteen and Rey eight, she was heartbroken to see her superhero of a best friend go so far away. But she bragged about him endlessly, always excited to show her friends at school the letters he wrote to her, passing around the snapshots he sent of his dorm room and his friends and the campus. When Sibs Weekend rolled around, it was a no-brainer that Rey act as his little sister. They did every activity possible, like ice skating and cookie decorating and paint splatter art and Ben even chased her through the inflatable obstacle course. She wasn’t allowed to spend the night in his dorm room, of course, and she didn’t see how his girlfriend rewarded him for being so amazing with his cute little friend. He spent the first two summers coming home and babysitting her, where they seemed to pick up exactly where they left off, but after his junior year he needed to get an internship and he just couldn’t come home, he was sorry.

When Ben finished his undergrad and Rey was thirteen, things shifted once more. Rey was a teenager now and totally didn’t need someone like _Ben_ to hang out with. She had her _own_ friends, ones who were _actually_ cool and not super lame like Ben, who moved into the city and went to law school and only came home every once in a great while, even though he only lived twenty miles away. Which was just _fine_ with Rey, who didn’t even care, anyway. Ben called even less than he visited, and their conversations were strained. Rey didn’t know who Ben was anymore and he certainly wouldn’t understand _her,_  thanks.

But when Rey was sixteen and buckled under the peer pressure to drink, he was the one she called. She was sobbing in the bathroom of some stupid boy's house, the music too loud and all of her friends too drunk to drive. She was sixteen and he was twenty-six and it was 12:04AM on a Thursday night and he had a presentation to give to Mr. Snoke at 9:00AM sharp but he came. He didn’t ask any questions, not even a comment on her less-than-appropriate clothing choices. He just showed up and took her back to his apartment, where he gave her a t-shirt and his bed to sleep in, not leaving her side until he watched her swallow down two full glasses of water and eat a sandwich. He called her out of school the next morning and lied to her parents, stating that she had gotten sick at the sleepover she’d already lied about and he had come to get her. As always, everyone melted to hear that Ben Solo was still taking care of Rey Kenobi and no one questioned it further. Except perhaps Han, who had lived too much of a scandalous life to ignore the obvious signs. But he loved Rey like a daughter and didn’t question it. Ben had gotten in trouble for calling into work sick, Mr. Snoke almost literally ripping him a new one, but he ignored that and focused on Rey. They spent the day watching their favorite Disney movies and eating junk food and just like that, they were best friends again.

Ben was there for her for everything after that, a constant presence once more at her dance recitals (because her mother just couldn’t let her quit something she was _so good at_ , and Rey liked the muscle tone it gave her) and every school awards ceremony. He came home weekly now, much to Leia’s delight, and the Solo’s and Kenobi’s had Sunday brunch together no matter what the weather. Rey loved having Ben in her life again, loved that she could ask him anything and he’d help her through it. When she was ready to have sex with her longtime boyfriend, Ben gave her a thorough talk about what to expect and how to ask for what she wanted, before handing over a bottle of lube and some condoms. When that boy broke her heart two days afterwards, with a dual reveal that he’d been cheating the whole time, Ben held her while she cried and showed up at the boy's house to give him a stern discussion about respecting women (or else). When Rey decided she was ready for another boyfriend, Ben helped her fight her fears and become confident in what she could bring to a relationship. She didn’t cry as much when this one ended that following summer and Ben was proud.

When she graduated high school, Ben had surprised her with a vacation of her choice with whoever she wanted. He was rising up in the ranks at the firm and making great money, so the world was her oyster. He had wanted to rescind the offer, however, when she declared that she wanted to go to Disney World with her friends Rose, Finn, and, of course, him. But he actually enjoyed himself and even let her talk him into buying mouse ears for himself (the most plain ones they had, but still, mouse ears). He was even patient enough to let her style them in themed outfits for everyday. He took every picture Rey asked for, rode every ride, bought every heart-stopping treat, and even stood in line after line so that Rey and Rose could meet princesses. Finn and Ben got the slightest touch of revenge when they kept the girls in the Star Wars section for the entirety of the whole day, meeting every available character. They caught Rey and Rose giggling later that Ben reminded them of one of the newer characters, a villain called Kylo Ren, although Ben was taller than the costumed guy they had portraying him.

The downside to that trip, however, was that Rose couldn’t seem to let it go that she thought Ben was the sexiest man alive and she couldn’t _believe_ that Rey had not climbed him like a tree the moment she hit the age of consent. For an entire year, Rose harassed Rey nonstop, always throwing her the most obnoxious looks whenever they went with Ben to the movies or out to eat, and even worse text messages with rather creative usage of emojis.

“Ew! Gross! I grew up with him! He was literally there the day I was _born_. He’s like a brother or a cousin or something,” Rey protested for about the hundredth time.

“Or like someone who you could fuck with wild abandon all day every day,” Rose replied easily, shrugging.

“Keep it down, we’re in public!” Rey hissed, ducking as they rounded the next aisle of Target.

They were shopping for new items for their dorm room, as they’d thought they under decorated last year and, after seeing what some of the other girls did, knew they could rise to that occasion. It was still June but Rose was determined that they could find some cute stuff now, rather than suffer at the end of the summer when rabid back to school shoppers stole all the good stuff too soon.

“Oh whatever,” Rose scoffed, stopping in front of the sheets. “You cannot honestly look me in the eyes and say that you’ve never, not even _accidentally,_ thought about him when you touch yourself.”

“ _Rose!_ ” Rey shrieked. “I don’t--I can’t believe you--!”

“I’m your best girl friend and your roommate, Rey. I _know_ you do that, because so do I, and that little blush on your cute little freckles is always _soooooo_ telling. It’s perfectly natural, along with the urge to do that while thinking about Mr. Tall, Dark, and so fucking Handsome,” Rose replied, practically salivating.

“I just don’t think of him that way. He’s just...Ben,” Rey shrugged, turning her face to hide her blushing.

“Uh-huh, yeah, sure. So you’ve never practiced kissing on him or oral sex or any of that?” Rose asked, smirking with a raised eyebrow.

“How about you remember for like _ten fucking seconds_ that he’s _ten years older than me_ and doing any of that stuff before last year could have landed him in _jail!”_ Rey snapped.

Rose, however, just kept smirking and raised her eyebrow higher.

“No! Okay. No, we’ve never done any of that stuff. Because we’re just _friends_ ,” Rey emphasized.

“Okay, Rey. Sure,” Rose said, shrugging and turning back to the shelves.

“Rose, you have to believe me,” Rey whined, already knowing that Rose didn't.

“Whatever you say, sweetie,” Rose replied. Her voice was annoyingly breezy, belying the validity of her words.

“He thinks of me like a little sister! I’ve always just been the little girl who follows him around. He would never even _dream_ of doing something like that with me,” Rey said.

“And you?” Rose asked, turning back at her. “Have you dreamt of that?”

Rey blushed and turned away, suddenly also very interested in getting some new sheets.

“Rey, sweetie, my dearest love and bestest of best friends,” Rose began, turning Rey and placing her hands on her shoulders, leveling her with a loving look. “Everyone already thinks you’re doing it, so why not just make those dreams come true?”

“Everyone? Who is _everyone?_ ” Rey gasped.

“Me, Finn, Ben’s friend Poe, everyone we went to high school with, every girl on your dance team, every person who has ever seen you two in public, literally every cast member when we went to Disney, _your families_. So, like, everyone,” Rose shrugged.

“I’m going to throw up,” Rey said, cringing at the thought of that being true.

“Sweetie, it’s not that bad. Just...do the thing,” Rose said, giving her shoulders a firm squeeze.

“But Rose…”

“But nothing. Do. The. Thing.” Rose turned back to the cart. “Now c’mon. We’re going to go look at gold pineapple lamps. I’m thinking tropical is our theme next semester.”

 

________________

 

Working at _First Order_ _Law_ had not been Ben’s idea of a dream job. When he'd been growing up, he'd wanted to do something noble, like being a police officer, or maybe even a surgeon. Being a lawyer was...not one of those dreams. That wasn't to say he didn't like his job or anything, because he absolutely did. He loved the _job_ , not the co-workers. Armitage Hux was a pain in the ass, Snoke was a serious dick, and Phasma was...well, she was probably the most tolerable of the bunch.

“This case needs to be done by Monday!” Hux snarled, storming into Ben’s very spacious office, waving a stack of papers over his ginger head.

Looking up from his desk, glowering back at the pale man, Ben reached up to adjust his glasses. He'd already been staying late nearly every night so far this week, and his eyes were tired.

“I have family brunch on Sunday, Hux. You already know. Not budging on that,” Ben said calmly, snatching the papers out of Hux’s hand to set them beside the four other stacks on his mahogany desk.

“Your dinner with _family_ is no concern of mine,” Hux said, straightening to tame his hair back into place. Everyone around the law firm was known for each other’s tempers, and Hux was no exception. While the man may have been more put together than most people, and it took a hell of a lot more for the man to crack under pressure, once he was there, all bets were off.

“Then maybe you should give the case to someone else,” Ben commented, looking back down at the documents scattered across his desk. Yeah, he definitely should have become a surgeon. At least surgeons didn't kill this many trees with this much fucking paperwork. A surgeon, much like a lawyer, was respected, but many people saw lawyers as scum of the earth, usually shady and trying to find every loophole in the book for a client. Technically, that was true, but the stigma irritated Ben to no end.

This particular case was worth millions, though. Millions, with an 's’. They were set to go to court on Monday and present a pretty good defense for the client, who was accused of murder, if Ben could just finish gathering his part of the case. It involved piecing together some crucial information on their timeline, and how their client couldn't have possibly done it because he wasn't even in the state at the time.

But, all Ben really wanted to do this weekend was to leave work at work and just focus on his family. He wanted to hang around with his mother and father, helping out around the house where he could, and he wanted to talk to Rey, because she always managed to make him smile when he was the most stressed out from work. She was so innocent, and it truly was refreshing.

“I can't give the case to someone else! Are you _insane?”_ Hux gaped.

“Maybe. I'll work on what I can, but I'm attending brunch on Sunday like usual, and not a second of that day is getting devoted to this case. And that's final,” Ben said, his tone firm.

 

________________

 

Rey scowled down at her phone, scrolling up and down the same conversations she’d already read. Rose had harassed her for the last three days about their conversation in Target. Finn had said that he was genuinely surprised to hear that they hadn’t done it yet, but Ben was always such a respectful guy that it made sense. Even when she texted Poe, the only other friend a younger Rey ever shared Ben with, Poe just sent a series of emoji’s that would put Rose to shame.

She couldn’t believe that everyone thought she’d slept with Ben. That was ridiculous! Ben was twenty-nine-years-old. She was nineteen. Ben was a successful lawyer who worked on big cases that brought in millions of dollars. She was a college student with no declared major (well, she wanted to declare a double major of dance and mechanics, but for some reason her advisor thought that was unwise). Ben’d had tons of girlfriends and even one who they all thought he’d propose to. Rey’d had two boyfriends in high school and had drunkenly made out with a few boys at parties as a college freshman. Ben was her best friend. Rey was just a little sister to him. There was just no way that someone as cool and suave and successful and intelligent and driven and kind and sexy as Ben would ever want someone as awkward and plain as her.

Her phone buzzed in her hands and her heart leapt to see that it was a text from Ben! He was running late, but he would be at brunch today. She sent back a few excited emojis, happy faces and fireworks and the like, and sprang into her shower. She was just excited to see him. This was normal excitement to see her best friend. It had been a week since they’d seen each other in person last (FaceTime did not count) and she’d missed him. She threw on a light gray T-shirt dress and her white Keds, pulling on a black tattoo choker and her hair halfway up. She swiped on nothing more than mascara and chapstick (peppermint, a flavor they both loved...not that that mattered) and she excitedly bounded downstairs.

“Isn’t it a little early on a Sunday to be excited?” her sweet grandfather asked, smiling at her.

Her grandparents lived in the house on the other side of the Solo’s, much to the chagrin of her mother. But at times like this it was a blessing she welcomed, as they’d gone on vacation and left Rey behind. Although Rey was plenty old enough to stay at the house all alone, it gave her parents a sense of comfort to know that she was safe and sound under their watchful eye.

“It’s a beautiful day outside!” Rey declared happily. “And I’m excited for brunch. You know how I look forward to it every week.”

Old man Kenobi nodded. His wife, Satine, hid her smirk behind her coffee cup.

“We should get going, then. It’s only polite to arrive early and help Leia set up,” Satine said. Not that there was such a thing as “arriving early” between the Solo’s and Kenobi’s. Their houses were open to the invasion of the others at any given moment.

Rey nodded, grabbing the cinnamon rolls she’d baked that morning and heading out the door. She took a quick peek at the front of the Solo house to see if Ben’s car was there yet and she felt her mood dampen to realize that he wasn’t. Still, she knew he was coming. He’d said so.

 

________________

 

He was tired, and he was cranky. Ben had stayed up nearly all night in an attempt to meet Hux’s demands with the case, and he was close to finishing, so he'd have to break his rule about no work on Sundays tonight. Unfortunately, his appearance had suffered just a little as he drove to his parent’s home. He’d had enough sense to shower and put on fresh clothing before heading out, but he'd forgotten to shave, and now there was some five o’clock shadow gracing his usually smooth face. Oh well, it wasn't like anyone thought he didn't _grow_ it. He was a male, after all.

Grumbling under his breath, his trusty travel mug of coffee with him, Ben pulled out his phone at a red light and texted Rey quickly, letting her know he’d be a bit late, but that he was on his way. He didn't know why he felt the need to send the message to her, instead of someone like his mother, but her excited emojis made him smile faintly.

She was so enthusiastic about everything in life, from her dances to her cars, to her favorite movies (which Ben absolutely knew about, as well). He'd bought some muffins to bring to brunch, since he wasn't big on cooking anything for himself, but it was customary for every family to bring at least one dish to the table.

Pulling up outside of the large house he'd called home, Ben whipped his seat belt off, grabbed the food, and made his way up to the front door. No one even bothered knocking, and as he let himself in, the smells of heavenly food hit his nose, lifting his exhaustion just a bit. But his eyes were scanning, looking for one person in the house out of habit, not finding her immediately.

Ben wasn't quite sure what it was he felt for Rey. Sibling love? More? Friendship? He didn't know but whatever the reason, he didn't care. He'd known her since the day she was born, and they knew nearly everything about each other, as well. It was only natural that they gravitate towards one another whenever they were nearby.

“Ben!” Rey chirped happily, hopping off the last step on her descent from upstairs. She launched herself immediately at him, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing a kiss to his cheek, like always. She brushed off the texts she’d gotten in the last few days. None of them knew anything.

Catching her around the waist, Ben twirled her for a moment before laughing as he set her down with a fond, “Hey, booger, how have you been?” He held the muffin package rather awkwardly in one hand, having tried to not to get them crushed by her exuberance.

She grabbed the muffins from his hand, over exaggerating her frown as she looked at the package. “Tsk, tsk, Benjamin Solo. These are _store bought._  How dare you poison our illustrious families with things _others_ have made and then _packaged_. Think of the preservatives. We may all _die!”_

Leia had gone a bit crazy a few years ago on making sure everything any of them ate was organic and natural and as healthy as possible. Ben and Rey, being completely mature, did nothing but make fun of it behind her well-meaning back and ate the trashiest junk food they could get their hands on.

“Well, hurry up and eat them so Mom doesn't see them,” he snickered, lifting his head as Leia came bustling through the house. “Speak of the devil.”

“Benny! You're here! A little late, I might add, but here!” Shaking his head, Ben leaned down to accept the smaller woman’s embrace, returning the hug with a kiss on her cheek, as well. “My, my, when was the last time you've slept? I have this new beauty cream I can lend you--it’ll clear those bags right up!”

“Stop bugging him, Leia. Ben’s _fine_ ,” Rey defended, smiling brightly as a distraction. She handed the muffins off to Ben behind her back and then reached out for Leia, turning her by her shoulder to go upstairs. “I didn’t see that dress you told me to look for. Could you help me?” As she followed Leia up the winding staircase, Rey looked down at Ben and winked.

Ben shook his head back at them, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as Leia perked up even more, eyes bright with excitement at the prospect of clothing. “It should be right there in the closet, but we’ll figure it out. You should have seen me the day I was trying to find the garter for my dress on Han and I’s wedding day. I was an absolute trainwreck looking for my 'something blue’.”

Rey smiled sweetly, even though she did not want to hear about Leia’s garter on her wedding day. She loved them, dearly, but she did _not_ need to ponder their sex life. She threw one last look down to Ben as they rounded to the top of the stairs, mouthing out “You owe me.”

Laughing outright, Ben couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes as Leia kept babbling. He'd repay Rey, probably through a movie or something. Food was always a great way to get back in her good graces, as well. Pulling out his phone, he typed quickly as he wandered into the kitchen:

 

_ <How about we go see that movie? The one you were telling me about last week?> _

 

He saw the text get delivered, but remain unread, which was fine with him. She'd get to it eventually. As he set the muffins down on a kitchen counter, her phone case caught his eye, and he raised an eyebrow. While it wasn't odd that she didn't have her phone on her (because it was Rey, and she lost the damn thing all the time), it was pretty odd that he actually looked at the screen, seeing texts coming in from various people. They were all texts that looked suspiciously like they were talking about some guy, and only when he saw Finn’s text specifically mentioning _his_ name, did it click. Oh god. That...combined with Poe’s copious eggplant and finger going into the other hand emojis, and it was starting to make sense to Ben.

They'd been talking about him, and from the looks of it...they'd been talking a lot. About sex. Concerning him. And who else? Rey? Him and Rey? Blinking, stunned, he backed away from the phone quickly and shoved his own back in his pocket, feeling a flush creep over his cheeks. That was...how was that? He didn't have the slightest idea of how he felt about the conversation about them.

“I’ll just set it with my stuff. Thanks, Leia!” Rey called out, walking into the kitchen with a garment bag slung over her arm. She smiled at Ben, although it quickly faded when she saw the odd look on his face. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

She tossed the garment bag on the marble island and grabbed her phone off it, rolling her eyes as she saw a few more messages from the Trio of Horny Jerks (as she’d taken to calling them now). She also saw his.

“Oh, that would be _incredible!_ When can we go? What about early this evening?” she asked, looking up at him expectantly.

“Oh, I uhm…” he hesitated, thinking about all of the work he still had to do. “I'd like to, but I've got this huge case at work that needs to be finished by tomorrow…” But he wanted to spend time with her, too. But he _had_ to work on this stupid murder thing. She could always stay the night, he supposed. She'd done it before, but he felt a little odd about it now that he'd seen the texts on her phone.

“I’m off for summer vacation so it doesn’t matter how late I’m out. I have no plans tomorrow so I can just steal your bed tonight and lock up when I leave,” she suggested. When they got close again, he gave her a key to his apartment, for any emergencies.

“Or I can help with the case if you want. You know Mitaka has got nothing on my superior highlighting and post-it skills.” She’d done it before, helping him sift through piles of files for specifics details. She thought it was fun, even if it did technically break the law.

Her phone buzzed again and she glared down at Poe. She’d need to find another time to ask Ben about reigning his friend in. Now it would be too suspicious, as he would probably ask why and then she’d have to tell him...later was better.

“I don't know. I mean, sure, you can stay over, of course. But this case...it’s a big one. It’s pretty much the difference between if a guy is going to get convicted and face the death penalty or if he was innocent the whole time. I can't have any mistakes. I know your skills are super great, though. You're like a highlighting ninja,” he laughed, rubbing her head fondly to mess her hair up.

“Hey, stop! It’ll tangle and then you’ll have to cut the hair tie out, _again!”_ she snapped, swatting his hand away. She glared up at him, her lips set in a determined frown. “You’re so mean to me, Ben. We hardly talk all week and now you dangle a fun time in front of my nose and take it away.” She huffed and felt her phone vibrate again. “Maybe Poe will go with me.”

“Fine, _fine,_ ” he groaned, rubbing at his eyes. “We’ll go see the movie, if only because Poe's an ass and doesn't deserve you. Look up some movie times, would you?” he said, looking down at her again. Maybe it was in light of the new information that she and some of her friends had actively been talking about sex with him, but she looked different. He was noticing her curves a bit more, the shape of her hips, the soft mounds of her breasts beneath her shirt...what was wrong with him? He'd known her since she was an _infant._ She was practically his sister! Or something.

She smiled triumphantly and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Never forget that Poe is _your_ friend. You’re just as responsible for him as I am for you.” Coming back down to her feet, she immediately started searching movie times.

“Yeah, yeah, which is why he was sending you some wonderful eggplants,” he said, shaking his head.

Rey’s eyes went wide, a cold dread filling her body. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuckfuck _fuck!_ “Wha--huh? What are you...huh?” _Great response_ , her stupid brain supplied.

“Huh? Nothing. Your phone just lit up when I texted you, is all,” he said, playing dumb. He could act like that was the only text he'd seen. Yeah.

“Oh. _Oh_. Yeah. Poe has been up to his usual Poe-ness, trying to get me to sleep with him and all that. No big deal. It’s just a joke,” Rey said, laughing uneasily.

It wasn’t _entirely_ a lie. Poe loved to offer himself to her whenever he was drunk, promising to fly her to the moon and back. But Poe would fuck anything when he was drunk and no one took him seriously...or to a bar anymore.

Rolling his eyes, Ben looked around, watching the family bustle about, drifting through the living room and kitchen. He entertained the idea of telling the rest of his family that he and Rey were together. Of course he wouldn't _actually_ do that, because they weren't, and they were in an awkward position and he had no idea if she felt the same, since he hadn't seen the responses from her. He imagined they'd be mortified, though, and then launch into a spiel about how morally wrong it would be for him to take advantage of her like that when she only saw him as a brother figure.

“I swear, one of these days, he's going to hit on the wrong person and he's going to get knocked on his ass,” he said off-handedly, mind still reeling.

He’d bought it. She was in the clear. Good.

“Oh absolutely,” she laughed, finally feeling a bit at ease. She looked back down at her phone. “There’s a movie at 2:15. Let’s get this brunch over with and go. That way, you can treat your favorite bestie to a movie and _still_ be a responsible adult.”

“Yeah, right. Responsible,” he said, trying to will away the sudden guilt that reared its head. _Bestie._ She didn't think like that, then. Well, that was that, he supposed. Better try to get those thoughts out of his head now before he went further down the rabbit hole. What was he doing? What had he been thinking? Rey was his _best friend._ His best childhood friend. That was it. They were just close--as close as two friends that occasionally shared a toothbrush could be, anyway.

He was supposed to be an adult, and there was no way he could have a sudden interest in a girl who was barely legal, much less his childhood friend. She'd been there during everything, though. He'd comforted her with her breakups, and she'd comforted him through his. He'd been about to propose to a girl named Bazine--he’d even had a ring picked out and everything. He'd thought she'd been the one, but then she'd broken his heart, and Rey had come over to his apartment and said that the situation called for horrible comedy movies and ice cream. The night had ended with Rey slumped against him, her head on his shoulder.

They'd ways been there for each other. But they were just friends.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Just friends" kiss and ask for something more against a wall, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your response to this!!! Enjoy <3

They had escaped from brunch, but only just barely. Leia had begun her weekly campaign about how it was high time for Ben to find someone again and get settled down, how she wasn’t getting any younger and she wanted grandkids to spoil. This then bled into a conversation about why Rey wasn’t as serious about _her_ future, how being a dancer was great and working on cars was great, but they were both demanding mistresses and she needed to pick one. All around well-meaning conversations given by the family members who loved them, but Ben and Rey had heard it all a thousand times before and they knew that even when they did what the superior adults wanted, there would just be a new thing to harass them about.

The movie provided a nice distraction, though. They’d gone to see an action-comedy, their favorite genre together, and laughed and cheered the whole thing through. Rey loved seeing movies with Ben because they had the snarkiest commentary to whisper in each others ears the whole time through. Finn liked a silent movie experience while Rose’s commentary was mostly gushing about the romances on screen. But Rey and Ben picked apart everything, every silly plot hole and every odd camera angle. They loved the movie, still, but it was their thing.

They left the movie laughing, walking arm and arm down the hall back to his car. However, Rey soon sobered up when she noticed the looks they were getting from those around them. Fond looks from older couples, smiling at what they thought was young love. Envious looks from girls Ben’s age who sneered at Rey. Envious looks from guys Rey’s age, quickly shrinking back when they realized that they could definitely _not_ take Ben in a fight. Rey looked up at Ben and was glad to see that he seemed oblivious. She did drop her hold on his arm, though, her cheeks tinted pink. She knew The Trio of Horny Jerks was still harassing her on her silenced phone. She didn’t _want_ to know how much dirtier the messages had gotten in her silence.

Was he imagining it, or were they getting some pretty strange looks from other people as they left? He could keep a pretty good poker face, though, perfected after years in the courtroom. What they did was their own business, not that they were _doing_ anything. Pulling out his own phone, he checked his messages, getting a few snippy reminders from Hux, and a text from Poe, asking how his love life was going. It seemed like an innocent question, but after knowing what other texts he'd been sending, it gave Ben pause.

How _was_ his love life? Pretty barren lately, honestly. It wasn't that he couldn't find someone, because he probably could, if he'd been looking. Between work and more work, though, it was hard to get out. And the times he did meet someone, they either didn't understand his sense of humor or were put off by his workload and how many hours he was forced to be at the office.

There was only one person that truly understood him, and she was standing right next to him.

Noticing a moment later that she wasn't holding onto him anymore, he looked down at her, frowning faintly. “You okay?” Was she...blushing?

“I’m fine!” she chirped, almost _too_ brightly.

They pushed on the door to get out and she sighed into the warm summer sun, tipping her head back to enjoy the feeling of it on her skin. It had rained the last few days in a row so the sun felt extra good. She ran her hands back through her hair, smoothing it around over her shoulders, her fingertips caressing down her neck. The sun truly was her strength.

“Mmmm, I’m perfect, now!” She gave a happy twirl, not caring that skirt of her dress was short. “Let’s get your casework and go to the park or something. Or set up your patio furniture. We can _not_ waste this perfect day.”

His mouth was suddenly dry, following the line of her fingers on her skin. When had he started noticing the casual ways in which she touched herself? She made it look so sensual and alluring. Clearing his throat as they walked back to his car, he said, “Yeah, it'll probably need to be the patio. I need to be somewhere with internet.”

He held the car door open for her, closing it after she got in and went around to his own side. The car itself was nice, a sleek black model where the engine practically purred, partly in fact to some modifications he'd allowed Rey to make on it in their free time.

Why did he suddenly feel awkward, like something had changed between them? It was just them in the car, with no witnesses or anyone to pass judgement, so why did it feel so...intimate, to have her sitting in the front seat of his car, dressed in clothing that practically screamed _I went on a date!_ This hadn't been a date though; it was just a guy and a girl, casually hanging out at the movies, sharing the same drink (because they both liked the same kind and movie concessions were outrageously overpriced).

“Am I still okay to sleep over or are you going to be a spoilsport and kick me out of your bed when it's your bedtime? I can always have Finn come pick me up,” she asked, finally scrolling through the messages.

Finn, blessed Finn, was the least insane of them, the majority of his messages of the “Ben’s a nice guy” and “your guys fight like siblings" variety, even if he threw in a “but you would work out really well" in there once or twice. Plus, Finn lived close to Ben's apartment, only 5 minutes away. It had helped them bond in the last two years.

“No, no, you're fine. It's fine if you want to stay. I'm not going to kick you out just because I have to work tomorrow. I'll just sleep on the couch, no biggie,” he shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant.

Sure, the couch was uncomfortable as hell to sleep on, but he'd manage. It wouldn't be the first time, and it probably wouldn't be the last, but she didn't need to know how much it tweaked his back. The stupid, obnoxiously tall frame of his was such a pain sometimes. Literally. If worse came to worst, he could always sleep on the bed too. It wouldn't be the first time, though it had been a long time since they'd bed shared. Usually, she was tucked under the blankets on one side and he laid on top of them on the other, keeping a respectable distance between them.

“You can just sleep with me,” she shrugged. As soon as the words left her mouth, she heard them and she blushed harder, looking at him with wide eyes. “Not like _that,_ of course. I just meant, like, you know, two people in one bed. Your bed is plenty big for both of us to sleep in-- _on_ , um, together. I mean, we would _never_ do, um...that.”

“No, never,” he agreed quickly. “We’d never do that.” He gave a nervous little chuckle and stared out the windshield, suddenly very engrossed in the act of driving. “We’ll figure it out. Always do, right?”

“ _Right_. Always,” she said, giving a clear of her throat. _Smooth, Rey. Really fucking smooth,_  her mind scoffed.

But he had agreed. She had stupidly brought up the stupid act that her friends had been harassing her over forever and he’d said no. He wouldn’t sleep with her. He wasn’t interested in her like that. He would never sleep with her because he wasn’t interested in her, because…?

“I mean, it would be, like, super weird because we’re like...um...like,” she floundered. Why the hell was she still talking? What was wrong with her?

“Best friends?” he supplied, glancing over at her. He could feel his face heating up, all the way to the tips of his ears. “Because best friends don't have sex with each other.” What the _fuck_ did he just say?

“No, not at all. That would be insane. What type of best friends ruin their life long friendship by...having sex. That’s irresponsible,” she said. “I mean, I’m not even your type to begin with. You like tall, pale, leggy girls with dark hair.”

“I don't know that I really have a _type,_  really. Bazine certainly matched that criteria, but…” He didn't want to talk about her. “And you've probably got a boyfriend, anyway, so…”

“No, I don’t,” she replied quickly. “I haven’t had an actual boyfriend in about two years.” _Great. Go ahead and admit how pathetic you are._ That _will turn his head._ “And you’re seeing someone anyway. I saw some woman texting you during the previews.”

He frowned at that, turning to look over at her, “Who, Phasma? She's from work.”

“Oh.” Oh. _Oh_. “Why are...why are you single? Aren’t there dating apps to help set up high-strung, always-working types for a quick fuck here or there?” _Woman, what the_ hell _are you doing? Shut up!!_

 _Why_ were they talking about this? Sure, they shared everything, but they'd never gone this in-depth into their love lives aside from that one time she'd asked him about sex so she could go do it with her then-boyfriend.

“Well...there _are_ apps, but they're not my...thing,” he said lamely. “I'm mainly single because...because,” he floundered, “I don't know. I don't seem to click with anyone, I guess. What about you? You're smart, funny, and beautiful, so you should have no problem.”

“Hardly. I spent too much my life dancing, so I have no boobs and I’m too muscle-y for most guys. They’re apparently threatened by a person who can stand on their toes and not even blink, plus I can deadlift more than they can. Those who _aren’t_ turned off by that are turned off because I know more about cars than they do. Sure, I can get any number of guys to make out with me at a stupid party, but they don’t want anything _after_ and it’s disheartening,” Rey said, frowning down at her lap. “College boys are just as stupid as high school boys were. Didn’t you promise me that it gets better?”

“I thought it would,” he said softly. “Most guys seem to only want one thing, and unfortunately, that part doesn't really change. You just have to find the one that wants more than that.”

She looked over at him, his extreme features highlighted by the late-afternoon sun. She remembered asking him to play the prince and the dragon, the dashing hero and the scary villain. He was the best at make believe, always fighting himself to save her, suave and brave and handsome. And when she asked him to play the part of the damsel instead, he’d done so willingly. She thought he was even a beautiful damsel, always complaining that his lips were more full and his eyelashes were longer.

“Yeah. I just have to find one who wants that,” she agreed quietly.

He wanted that. Even with her in his life, it was still lonely to go to bed alone at night, to not have _that_ connection with someone. But she wasn’t interested like that. She couldn't be. He remembered being nineteen; being unsure of the world as a new adult, thinking that it was going to be easy to meet people and pay bills. It wasn't--it positively sucked.

Ben chewed on his lip for a moment, before saying, “Well, they might just be closer than you think.” It wasn't outright saying he was interested, even if he was, but it was hinting pretty heavily at it. She was intelligent; she'd figure it out. And if she wasn't interested back, she could just take the comment and disregard it.

Her eyes bugged out of her head for a moment, wondering if she’d really heard him say...suggest that…

“You know, it’s been the funniest thing lately. Rose and Poe and even, um, Finn have been saying stuff...lately. Wildly inappropriate stuff, I mean. Like, really suggestive and annoying and insane and stupid and ridiculous and--”

“Suggestive?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he parked in his spot outside the apartment. “Like what?” Without having to drive, he turned and was able to give her his full attention, drinking in every single freckle on her face.

“It’s really dumb. They think, and apparently they all agree that _everyone_ thinks that we’re...that we’ve...um...you know. Done...that,” Rey said, feeling fifteen all over again.

His eyes widened a bit at that, totally caught off guard. “What? They do? Why would they think that? That's ridiculous! We've never…” Of _course_ she knew they'd never had sex.

“I told them that. I told them that it was stupid because you don’t see me like that. I’m like a sister to you,” she said, unclipping her belt. She got out of the car in a swift movement, heading towards his building as if she could avoid this topic further. He hadn’t meant _himself_ when he said it was closer than she thought. Clearly.

Following her into the building, he stayed quiet, a frown on his face as he pushed the button to call the elevator. He rocked back on his heels, hands in his pockets. “What if I did?” he asked as the doors opened and they stepped inside and started going up to his floor.

She blinked up at him, her throat going dry. “Think of me like a sister?” She asked, her mind going completely blank.

Inhaling sharply, he looked up at the ceiling in the little elevator, aware that the inside was decorated with mirrors everywhere. He didn't want to see her reaction, and he didn't want to see the nervousness in his own eyes as he said, “No. If I thought of you...like that.”

“Yeah?” she asked, stepping closer to him. Her heart was pounding, her eyes shimmering with hope.

He risked a glance down at her, then did a double take as he realized she was a bit closer. “It would change everything,” he said quietly, lowering his head down to look at her.

“Would that be...bad?” she asked. Oh god. Oh god. Oh godohgodohgodohgodohgod.

Turning his body towards her, he took a step closer until they were nearly touching, and he murmured, “I can't lose you, Rey. Tell me I'm not the only one that feels this way. If it doesn't work, then…” He couldn't bear to lose her. Even if she didn't return his feelings, he still needed her in his life.

“No. No. I feel it, too,” she whispered. She stared at his lips, lips she’d dreamt of kissing ever since she was thirteen. All those times she’d avoided seeing him, pretending like she was too cool, were to hide a far-too-strong crush for her twenty-three-year-old neighbor.

Gingerly, he reached up to cup the side of her face, his hand trembling just a little as he searched her eyes, a slight frown on his own. He felt mesmerized by her, like she was something he was forbidden to touch, but the curiosity was just too great to deny.

He took in her beautiful hazel eyes, the way they caught the light so wonderfully, a mixture of greens and gold. And then her mouth captured his attention, and he felt such a longing to know what it felt like against his own. He bent down, slowly, agonizingly so, intent on finding out...only to have the elevator ding that they were on his floor. He straightened abruptly, ripped from his trance, and blinked, his own lips parted as though he'd just been awoken from a dream.

She felt like she’d been doused by cold water, after being thrown overboard, after being jerked around on a ship endlessly. _Seriously!?!?!?!_ He was finally about to kiss her and the fucking _elevator_ stops?

She groaned, none-too-quietly. This was so unfair. She followed him down the hall, feeling incredibly awkward. What the hell did they even do now? They couldn’t pretend like it hadn’t happened, because it literally just did. But how were they supposed to proceed from there? How could they ever look each other in the eye again knowing that they had almost...he was just about to…

Unlocking his door, avoiding her gaze as he tried to wrap his own mind around what had just transpired, he cursed inwardly. Maybe this had been a mistake. What if they got involved, things didn't work out like that, and then...then what? They'd still have Sunday brunch, which would be awkward, but if they didn't act on this feeling, there would always be that question of what if. He pushed the door open and stepped inside to flick on one of the lights before turning to her.

This setting was just as intimate as the elevator, perhaps even more so, with the promise of a bed looming just a few doors down the hallway. But just because they might kiss didn't mean that it would go further--that she _wanted_ it to go further tonight. They had known each other her entire life, but maybe she wanted to try dating the right way. Was that what she even wanted to do? Date? It had been mostly him talking in the elevator, and he had a moment to wonder if she even wanted this at all. She'd said she felt it, but he didn't know if she wanted it. Maybe it was better that they'd reached his floor when they did.

“What do you want, Rey?” he asked softly, scanning his eyes over her face slowly, trying to read for a lie.

“I’m afraid to ask for it,” she said, standing in front of him with her heart in her hands. She wanted him so much, she wanted this so much, but what if he said no? What if he said that she was just a kid and he wasn’t interested in a kid? They’d known each other her whole life, what if he didn’t want to sacrifice the relationships of their families for her childish whims.

He felt his face soften a bit at her words. She truly was precious. His lovely, precious girl. “I need to hear you say it,” he prompted gently. There was no way he was going to do this without her being explicitly clear with him about what she wanted or expected out of this.

“I want you, Ben. Not as my best friend, but as something...more,” she admitted, her words barely a whisper. She could take the words back if she needed to, just pretend like she’d asked him to be a super best friend instead. Something that was not definitely crossing the line.

Feeling his heart stutter and his breath catch, he swallowed hard, trying to believe the words she'd said. In another instant, he was moving, closing the distance between them to capture her face between his hands again. He couldn't wait any longer--he needed to taste her, _now._ Bending down, he pushed his mouth to hers, feeling just how soft her lips were beneath his own. And was that...peppermint? Fuck, she tasted so good, mixed with one of his other favorite flavors.

He hadn't started noticing her like this until the past few years, and he hadn't realized until this very moment that he’d been waiting. Waiting for _her._ It was everything he could ever hope it could be. She was warm and receptive, and one hand dropped from her face to settle on her lower back, pulling her close into him.

She could not believe this was happening. This _was_ happening, right? As she melted into him, her body pressed eagerly against his, she knew that it really and honestly was. Her heart had sped up in her chest, her every nerve lit on fire where she was touching him. This was what she had been dreaming of for years.

She slid her hands up to his chest, pulling him closer to her. He was so big and warm and _hard_ and hot, so hot, feeling his body heat so thoroughly through both of their clothes. Or maybe it was her who was hot? Feeling bold, she slid her tongue along his bottom lip, begging for entrance past the lips she’d always wanted to feel pressed against hers.

Groaning softly, he allowed his lips to part, meeting her tongue with his own. Why had they waited so long? They could have been doing this a year ago, the _day_ she became of age. He'd felt her mouth on his cheek more times than he could count, but to feel her like this...it was bliss. He pressed himself closer to her, backing her into the nearest wall, pushing closer still, as though he could merge into her.

When they finally had to part for air, he pulled away slowly, reluctantly, his eyes closed as he pressed his forehead to hers. His body felt too warm, and he was vaguely aware of the erection straining in his pants. Shifting slightly, he backed his hips away from hers, just enough so they weren't touching. No need to scare her away so soon. He had work to do, and this was all new for them.

Her mind was swimming and she was feeling greedy, driving full on the adrenaline of finally getting what she’d denied even herself wanting. Panting for only a moment, she hooked her fingers into the tops of his jeans and thrusted him back at her, surging up to claim his lips in another hungry kiss. She moaned loudly into him, grinding herself against him enthusiastically. One of her hands slipped forward, palming at him through the stupidly thick denim, the heat and pulsating of him sending a shiver down her spine. She moved her mouth away from him, licking and nibbling down his neck.

“Fuck, Rey,” he hissed, his body moving with a mind of its own, further into her hand. “Are you...are you sure?” he panted, kissing along her shoulder, pushing the neck of her dress out of his way so that he could reach more of her. He was used to rough sex, usually one-night stands that had one sole purpose--release. There was no emotion involved, nothing but trying to chase the feeling of destressing. But her, he felt something and he would go slow if need be.

His own hand lifted to cup her breast through the fabric, stroking over it once before diving down under the hem of her short dress, pushing it up until he found the bare skin of her thighs. He lingered there, running his fingers over her soft flesh before moving up, up, _up._

“God, _yes,_ Ben. I’ve wanted it for so, _so_ long. I never thought you’d, that we could, oh fuck!” she babbled against his neck, jumping when his fingers brushed against her underwear. “Please touch me, Ben.”

Moaning at her words, he nodded, playing along the edge of her panties until he came around to the front, teasing the elastic before dipping his hand down the front to cover her. He stroked against her wetness once before searching for what he was looking for, finding it easily. Using his index finger, he swirled his finger across her clit before pressing down a little harder, lifting his mouth back to hers, covering it to swallow the sounds she made for him. Gently, he took her bottom lip between his teeth and then soothed it with his tongue, grinding himself against the outside of her thigh.

She could come just from this, she was sure of it. Although she’d never admit it to Rose, she absolutely had touched herself more times than she could count and imagined it was him instead. Now she was sure she could never do it again, because her own attentions to her body were far less pleasurable than his. He wasn’t like any of the other boys she’d ever gotten this far with, he didn’t scratch her accidentally or prod at all the wrong parts. Ben was skillful and dexterous, calling to mind every game she’d ever seen him play, determined to achieve his goal.

Why hadn’t she admitted how she felt sooner, to him or herself? What she had been so sure was just a childish attachment to a guy who felt safe to her was definitely more. There was a sense of safety here, the knowledge that he wasn’t going to leave her or kick her out at the end of the night, but also so much more. But she wouldn’t think about that too much right now. Instead, she was going to think about how amazing his fingers felt pressed against her aching flesh and how ready she was for the member she was gently massaging with her hand.

She was so warm and wet against his hand, and he shifted it deeper so that he could dip a finger inside of her, the heel of his palm still rubbing against that bundle of nerves. “You're so wet,” he marvelled to himself. She was wet for _him_ , and she was letting him do this to her. How could he have ever gotten this lucky? It wasn't enough room, though.

Moving his free hand, he grasped the outside of her thigh and hitched it up around his waist to spread her wide. He helped balance her against the wall, keeping his hold on her as be added a second finger and sped up the pace at which he was plunging them in and out of her until he was fucking her with them, his hand slapping against her clit with each pass.

“Fuck, Ben!” she cried out. Her head fall back against the wall, her palms braced against it, nails scratching to find some sense of purchase. She looked up at him through eyes too heavy with bliss to keep open, her cunt clenching around him to see how black his eyes were. She’d never imagined he’d look at her like _this_ , like she was the one giving him pleasure that she’d never knew was possible.

“Ben, will you-- _shit_ \--will you go down on me?” she whimpered out, needing to get the words out of her mouth before she chickened out. When he’d taught her about sex, he’d taught her how to ask for what she wanted. She didn’t want to let him down.

Pausing with his fingers, he pulled back to look at her, exhaling in a rush. “God, I thought you'd never ask,” he growled and immediately sunk down onto his knees, using the wall to help support her as he ripped her underwear down her legs. He drew one leg up over his shoulder and immediately reached for her other, pulling it up over his other one as well, looking up at her from between her thighs.

Angling her pelvis towards him until it was just her upper body against the wall, he dove down, licking a long, thorough stripe from her core up to her clit again before he wrapped his lips around it and sucked, _hard._

“Ah!” was all she could scream out, her thighs threatening to close around his head as the sensation was just too good for her to handle. She trusted him to hold her up, in the part of her mind that was capable of thinking of anything beyond his mouth against her. Her hands flew to his hair, gripping into the thick locks she always loved playing with and holding him where she needed him to be.

He didn’t need to know that she’d asked for this because she’d never had it done before, almost as if she’d been saving this experience for him. Or maybe it was because the sex had been not a great time with her first (prick) and rather lackluster with the second (she forgave him, at least) that she’d never wanted to do much more than lie beneath them and wait for them to finish. But whenever she fantasized about being with Ben, she just _knew_ it would be the best. Of course, just like with his fingers, imagining this and actually feeling it were two separate things and she was now absolutely sure that she was 100% going to come all over his face in a matter of seconds.

“Fuck, Ben, fuck! Just like that! I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come, oh _god,_ ” she whimpered, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she felt her orgasm coming closer and closer.

“Good, come in my mouth like a good girl,” he encouraged, returning his fingers to her perfect, tight little cunt. He hummed against her, sending vibrations from his throat up to her as he moved down to slide his tongue through her wet folds, right along his thrusting fingers.

She wasn’t sure how much longer she’d lasted, it could have been two minutes or twenty seconds. All she knew was that suddenly that spring coiled so tightly in her belly snapped and she was screaming, her whole body shaking in the best orgasm of her life. She felt like she was floating, like she was in space and there was nothing keeping her on Earth but Ben. She wanted to shove him away as he continued to lick her through it, wanted to protest that she was too sensitive, but it still felt so good and she could do nothing but mewl like a newborn kitten, completely goo as she slumped against the wall and allowed his broad shoulders to bear the entirety of her weight.

Slowing his licks until he was just resting with his mouth pressed against her, he rolled his eyes up to look at her. There was a flush staining the top of her chest, moving up her neck and all the way to her cheeks. “You're so beautiful,” he whispered, moving to kiss along the inner portion of her thigh, turning his head to give the other one the same treatment.

Gently, he set her back on her feet, rubbing her hips in light circular motions as he looked up the line of her body to her eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked as he slowly rose back to his feet.

All she could do was nod, moving to rest her head on his chest. She wanted to say more things, she knew she should say something, anything else, but she was still twitching with her orgasm and her mind was absolutely blank. She held the hem of his shirt in her shaking hands, so glad that he was so large and solid and seemed so very unaffected by her weight on him. She was almost feeling sleepy, she was so sated, but she would have to be dragged out of his apartment, kicking and screaming, before she missed out on anything else.

Smiling, pleased that he'd made her come so hard she couldn't even speak, he bent down to nuzzle at the side of her head before whispering against it, his words low and dark, “Are you done, or are you ready for more?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, ARE you ready for more? ;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhm, yeah. This is basically all just smut. *throws confetti*

“More. Please, Ben, I want more,” Rey managed to choke out. She was a dancer, she shouldn’t be this exhausted after just a little bit of physical exertion. Maybe it was because she hadn’t come in a long, long, long time? Or maybe it was because her dreams were finally coming true and her mind was overloaded at trying to process this. Whatever the reason, she’d need to shove that exhaustion down and continue on.

Gathering her up in his arms, Ben carried her down the hallway to his bedroom, planting a soft kiss on her forehead as he sat her on the edge of the bed. Gripping the hem of her dress, he pulled it up, revealing her body to him one golden inch at a time. Depositing it off to the side, he took a second to just _look_ at her, lingering over her stomach and breasts. “You're beautiful,” he told her, remembering what she'd said about her dancer’s body in the car.

She blushed, fighting off the urge to cover herself up. She’d never been this exposed in front of him, they’d always been so good about keeping doors closed when changing. She’d seen his bare chest plenty of times, of course, and he had seen her in bikinis and tiny little dance costumes for years, but actually sitting on the edge of his bed, the bed they’d slept together in completely platonically nearly a month ago now, was an entirely different thing. But he had called her beautiful and there was something about the look in his eyes, something past the point of lust, that made her believe him.

“Ben,” she prompted, nodding at his own clothing. However beautiful he made her feel, it was still embarrassing to be the only one naked.

“Oh, right,” he said, dropping his eyes from her to focus on undressing. He hadn't forgotten what the intended plan was in this room, but for a moment, his attention had only been on her. He unbuttoned his shirt methodically and then slid it down his arms to drop beside her dress. His pants came next, the fly coming down, and he breathed a soft sigh of relief at the freedom when he pushed the jeans down his legs and stepped out of them.

Hovering with his hands on the waistband of his boxers, he looked up at her again, wanting to make sure that this was what she wanted. Feeling reassured by the desire returning to her eyes, he pushed them down, letting her get a good look at him, just as he had at her.

“Jesus fuck, Ben. How is that even legal?” she couldn’t help but blurt out, her eyes wide. She immediately thought of all of those bullshit ads seen on porn websites (not that she ever went to them…) promising to make your dick bigger. He could be the poster child for that and then laugh because no pill or “one weird trick” was going to help any other man achieve what he had been given naturally. She mentally measured it and then glanced down at herself, wondering how in the hell he was going to fit inside of her.

“Having second thoughts?” he asked, afraid that she really was put off by his size. He knew he was well endowed, but he didn't want to _scare_ her.

“Absolutely not. I have not been dreaming of this since I realized you were someone I wanted in that way to just back down,” she said determinedly. “Kenobi’s aren’t quitters.”

Smirking, he shook his head and crawled up the bed towards her. “No, they aren't.” He kissed her gently before pulling back to ask, “Do you have a position preference? What's best for you?” He could adapt to whatever she wanted. He just wanted her to enjoy herself, and to come again.

“I’ve sort of never really done anything except the um...the normal one,” she replied, turning her cheek to hide her embarrassment in his pillows. Pillows that she had helped him test in the store, because he could never quite tell and she was just excited to spend all day playing with pillows (and the naturally occurring pillow fight that nearly got them escorted from the store.) She was momentarily struck by how intimate they had always been with each other, but this was their first foray into _intimacy._

Raising his eyebrows slightly at the lack of sexual experimentation, he declined to comment, instead choosing to dip his head down and kiss along her exposed throat. “We can do that. It'll be easier, now that you've already come.” It felt like he was explaining sex all over in a way, but surely the reminder was okay since he was rather large.

“I can do whatever you want,” she said, hackles raising at the knowledge that her less-than-exciting sexual experiences seemed to be off-putting to him. “I’m a _dancer_ , Ben. I can bend any way you want.”

“You know what? You're absolutely right,” he whispered roughly, pulling back to grip her hips and flip her over onto her stomach. She had a gorgeous back, and he found himself wanting to give praise to every single one of the freckles on it, despite the mouth on her.

She gave a tiny squeal at the sudden movement, a little laugh leaving her lips and helping to relieve her tension. She pushed back onto her knees, presenting herself to him with an enticing wiggle.

“Are you going to stare at it, or are you going to take it?” she purred, turning her shoulders to look back at him.

Reaching out, he smacked one side of her ass, somewhere in the middle of soft and hard before he knelt behind her, lining himself up. “Don't rush me, woman, or I'm going to take my sweet time before I fuck you.”

She gave a little whine and pouted, wiggling back further until she felt him, hot and hard and ready to go, sliding between her cheeks. “Do you want to draw this out, Ben? Am I the only one of us who has touched themself thinking about this exact moment?”

“How often did you do it?” he asked roughly, sliding inside until just the head was in to give her some time to adjust. He ran his hands up along her back, inhaling shakily at how tight she was around him, and he wasn't even all the way in. He was going to have to work to get every bit of his cock inside her. “Because I did it at least daily. I did this morning, actually, knowing I was going to see you. How often, Rey?”

She moaned to feel even that much of him penetrating her, the stretch of him so good. “Daily. I named my vibrator after you, for god’s sake. But it doesn’t make me come like you just did. Nothing and no one ever has.”

“And no one ever will,” he promised, gripping her hips again as he gave a shallow thrust, getting just a bit more into her. “Fuck, you feel so amazing. Better than I'd ever dreamed,” he rasped, lowering his eyes to watch her body slowly take his. “Just a little more, you can do it.”

She moaned louder, pleasure coursing through her as he pushed in further. The feeling in her heart when he said that no one ever will...she gave a tiny cry as he pushed even further. She could already tell she was ruined for anyone else ever again. She hoped he meant what he said, because she wasn’t giving this up.

“More, Ben. I need more,” she encouraged, spreading her knees wider to give him better access.

Who was he to deny her what she needed? He'd never been able to in the past, and it didn't look like he was about to start now. He plunged the rest of the way into her body, feeling himself bottom out against her, but she took him all. Somehow, her tiny little body managed to fit his so perfectly. It was like coming home after a long day, and he wanted to be nowhere else. Pulling out, he dug his fingers in harder to her skin for more leverage and yanked her back just as he thrusted forward again, quickly setting up a punishing pace.

“No one else, Rey,” he panted. “This pussy belongs to me now, and I'm going to make it come so well on my cock.”

“Just yours. Only yours. God, Ben, it’s like I was born for you,” she babbled, gripping the sheets as he fucked into her so well. She’d tried this position once and it hadn’t been great. But with Ben, it was heaven. He was slamming into her at the best possible angle and she was certain she was already going to come again. “Fuck, _fuck._ Just like that. I love it when you fuck me so hard and deep.”

“God, Rey, you feel so fucking _good,”_ he ground out, each thrust of his hips against her backside creating a loud slapping sound in the room. She was well and thoroughly wet now, if she hadn't been before (he knew she was). “I used to imagine taking you in this very bed, or even in your own, trying to keep quiet. Fuck, I'm glad we don't have to keep quiet.”

“Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. I’m gonna come again!” she cried out, further emphasizing the point that they didn’t need to be quiet. Although the part of her mind capable of thinking of other things imagined laying in her bed at home while their families were gathered together downstairs. He’d be fucking into her just like this, so rough and wonderful, that she’d have to gag herself to keep anyone from knowing. _Fuck_ that was hot to think about. Maybe they’d try that in the future.

“ _Ben!_ I’m comi-- _fuck!_ Oh fuck!” she nearly collapsed, her orgasm hitting her so hard. But she wasn’t done, not by a long shot. “Keep going, baby. Please keep fucking that pretty little pussy. Fuck it until you come for me and fill me up so good.”

He nearly came right there, feeling her bearing down on him as her orgasm hit her. “Come again for me, Rey,” he grunted, pumping into her as hard as he could, his pace becoming frenzied and erratic. “Fuck, _fuck!”_ He was so close, but she needed to come again before he did. She'd be closer now that she already had before, and he couldn't help from smacking her ass again, a low rumbling coming from deep in his chest.

He was slick with sweat, his hair plastered to his forehead, and his body flushed, but god damn he was close. One, two, three more thrusts, and then, “I'm going to-- _unf--_ I’m coming, Rey!” he moaned loudly, spilling deeply within her, his cock pulsing to give her everything he had to offer.

She hadn’t achieved a third but two was more than she’d ever had in one interaction so she wasn’t about to complain. Plus, feeling him shoot his spend so deep within her felt just as satisfying as another orgasm would have. She felt euphoric in a way she’d never thought possible, panting and quivering below him. She wondered how soon they could do it again.

“That was _incredible._ God, Ben, you’re really good at that,” she praised sweetly. She could feel some of his spend trickling down her thigh and she gave another little moan. The fact that she had done that to him, brought him to an orgasm with her body that was so hard he was spilling out of her, was a heady feeling.

Draping himself over her back for a moment, his forehead pressed between her shoulder blades, he gave a shaky, disbelieving laugh. “Next time, you're coming at least three times before we’re done. I will make that my personal mission,” he panted before pulling out of her and laying on his side. Catching her around the waist, he dragged her down with him so that he was spooning her. He pressed his face into the back of her hair, breathing in her sweet scent.

“There’s going to be a “next time"?” She didn't care if she sounded pathetically excited. She couldn’t help that creeping fear that she was just an itch he’d wanted to scratch and now that he had, things would go back to how they were. In her experience, guys promised all sorts of things to get their dick wet, regardless of previously established relationships.

“Of course there's going to be a next time, you goof,” he muttered, pressing kisses along the back of her neck and shoulder. “I told you I wanted more. Did you want more too?”

She rolled over in his arms, smiling at him cheekily. “How soon until more?”

He gave a pained groan, wanting to be able to give her more right now, but unfortunately the male body had a refractory period. “Give me like...5 minutes,” he smirked, leaning down to claim her mouth again, his hand snaking down to cup her ass and drag her in against him.

“Would it be less time if I sucked you off?” she asked, a bright innocence in her eyes.

“Oh god,” he breathed, giving a soft laugh. “You're trying to kill me. But to answer your question, maybe…”

She smiled and nudged him onto his back, eagerly scooting down to settle between his legs. Even flaccid he was impressive, come still leaking out onto his stomach. She didn’t care that she was also coating him, having already tasted herself on his lips before. She licked her lips, looking up at her through her lashes as she leaned down, using her hands to hold her hair away from her face as she licked a stripe from base to head. She felt him twitch beneath her and she smirked, determined to get him hard and ready in half his quoted time.  

She sucked at his head, moaning at the taste of the thick substance leaking out of him. “Oh god, Ben. You taste so fucking good. I could suck your cock and swallow your come forever.”

“Jesus Christ, Rey,” he whispered, moving his hand to help hold her hair out of her face. She was going to kill him, if this was her sexual appetite. And what a way to go it would be. “You suck that cock so well, baby,” he moaned, with it giving another twitch at her ministrations, already rousing to semi-hard.

She purred with delight at his praise, getting him back for vibrating her clit with his own humming. With his cock slowly rising to attention, she used her hand to gently grip the base of him and point him in a position more comfortable for her head. She swallowed down as much of him as she could, focusing on keeping her gag reflex nice and relaxed so she didn’t leave a single inch unsucked. She bobbed her head up and down in a steady rhythm, looking up at him to gauge his reactions. He’d made her feel so good when he’d eaten her out and she wanted to repay the favor, while remaining mindful of the fact that he couldn’t come. She highly doubted he had the stamina to bounce back this quickly twice and she was already starting to get excited for her go again.

“Tell me when to stop, Ben. Tell me when my mouth is too much for you,” she demanded huskily, pulling off him to lick him up and down again, maintaining eye contact all the while. She could watch him writhe and moan in pleasure for the rest of her life and know it wasn’t wasted.

God, how had he ever gotten so lucky to have her _want_ to go down on him like this? Her mouth was just absolutely perfect, and his eyes fluttered while he tried to maintain eye contact. “Fuck, you're so fucking hot,” he groaned, his hips already arching up into her mouth. He was fully hard again now, and the way she sucked him was going to have him coming in no time. “Rey,” he warned. “Get up here and ride me.” He gave a gentle tug on her hair to urge her upwards, needing to be inside of her again.

“Yes, sir,” she teased with a wink, coming off him with one last, hard suck.  She swiped her finger along the corner of her mouth, capturing the last of his come and sucking it off. “Honestly, Ben, you taste so incredible. Are you just eating citrus fruits or something?” she asked, climbing up on top of him. She hovered above him in a perfect wide split, waiting for an answer.

He snorted slightly at her words, shaking his head as he looked up at her, hovering over him like some sort of goddess. “Nothing but junk food. We can't have my mom thinking I've finally given in to her health fads.” His hands just itched to grasp her waist and pull her down onto him, so he settled them on her thighs instead, thumbs stroking absently along her skin.

“Sugary sweet. Just the way I like you,” she hummed in agreeance. She leaned over his chest, holding her hips above him stuff as she asked in a low voice, “and how do you like me?”

Lifting his hands to slide his fingers through her hair, he dragged her mouth down to his and whispered against it, “Anyway I can have you.” He kissed her hard and deep to make his point. Maybe he'd gone a bit deeper into the question than she'd intended, but it was true. He wanted her any way she'd let him have her, as long as she was there with him. “But right now, I'd really like you back on my cock.”

She bit her lip and nodded, pulling back up so that she was sitting straight above him. She slowly lowered herself, glad his large frame demanded a large enough bed that she could stretch her legs out fully. She threw her head back as she slid down on him, taking him inch by glorious inch. When she was fully seated on him, she tilted her head back down, staring at him below her. She watched him as she slowly rolled her hips up and down his length, her hands pressed to his hard abs for leverage.

“Like this?” she asked, giving another roll of her lower body into his.

“ _Just_ like that,” he agreed, grasping her hips again, helping to pull her down against him. He made a throaty sound that was nearly a groan, but not quite, and closed his eyes for a moment as he absorbed the sensations of her moving above him. He was suddenly very sorry; sorry he hadn't waited for her, sorry that he hadn't made a move sooner.

“Rey,” he whispered, looking up at her like she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

She furrowed her brow, stopping her movements. She reached out to gently trace his jaw, wondering what had changed his mood. He’d just said she was doing it right, what happened? “What is it?”

Shaking himself out of his darker thoughts, he settled one hand against her cheek, the other on her hip and murmured, “This isn't...this isn't all this is, is it?” They weren't just using each other for sex were they?

She blinked, pulling back a moment on reflex. “ _What?_ Ben, no. Sure, I’ve been dreaming of doing this with you since I hit puberty, but that’s not _all_ I’ve dreamed of doing with you. I was always so jealous whenever you brought a girlfriend around because _I_ wanted to be your girlfriend. I wanted to be the one you kissed on the porch and held hands with in a way that meant something and who you took home at night and cuddled with in a way that was more than just humoring a kid. Ben, I _love_ you.”

Blinking at her for a long moment, he tilted his head, his mouth opening and closing to say something, and _fuck_ , was he even harder?

“I love you too, Rey. I can't even put my finger on when it became something more than you just being my best friend, and it took me even longer to realize that I cared about you like that too…” He felt his heart squeeze, and his blood heat up to hear the words confirm fears he knew they both shared. Determination settled onto his features and he lifted her hips off of him once before letting her drop back down. “Didn't mean to ruin the fucking,” he mumbled before adding, “But now that I have a girlfriend again...I need to fuck her right.”

“Yes, _please,”_ she agreed, bringing in her knees to bracket his hips for ease of movement. She bounced on him eagerly, his own hard thrusts making her moan again. “Oh god, Ben. Ben, Ben, Ben!” she chanted.

“Pinch your nipple, Rey,” he grunted, slamming up harder into her, eyes watching the way her breasts moved in tandem with his thrusts and her bouncing. He dragged her free hand down, pausing in his thrusts just for a moment to slide her fingers down between her legs. “Rub your clit too, baby,” he encouraged before picking up his relentless pace again, using both hands to pump her up and down on top of him. She was light as a feather and he'd have no issue lifting her around all day if he needed to.

Maybe they could work on building up their stamina even more with practice. Practice makes perfect, after all.

Rey cried out at the triple stimulation of her body, her fingers moving to his whims. She wanted to be good and do what he asked her to do, she wanted to be good and please him. She was so overjoyed that they were doing this because they loved each other.

“There you go, baby, make yourself come on that cock again,” he encouraged roughly, angling his hips just a bit more to hit at her g-spot. Over and over, he slammed into it, knowing that tomorrow, or whenever the endorphins wore off, they were both going to be extremely sore. Holding her up with his hands, he pounded into her from below, leaving her only task with touching herself like he'd instructed.

“Oh god, yes! Right there, Ben, hit it just like that!” she babbled out, her fingers on her clit nearly coming to a stop. She was too distracted by what Ben was doing to focus on pleasuring herself, the hand at her breast having moved to just squeeze the entire mound rather than focus on her nipple. She was going to come again, she was positive she was actually going to come again, riding her childhood hero turned boyfriend. Disney hadn’t lied; dreams really did come true.

Watching her come undone with him was probably one of his new favorite things, Ben decided. She was close, given away by the high flush on her cheeks, the light sheen of sweat he could see gracing her chest, and the way her wonderfully tight cunt was fluttering around him. Fuck, she was so perfect for him, in nearly every way. Even when they’d argued, it was usually to help better each other in some way. And Rey most certainly made him a better person.

If it weren't for her, he'd have turned into a cold, ruthless lawyer that didn't care about morals, and only worried about winning. He was already close again too, his abdomen twitching as he fought it off just a little longer. He thrusted harder, directly into that spot, his head tilted down to watch their joining. He was distracted for a moment as he saw a bulge in her stomach with each entry, outlined in the shape of him. “Oh fuuuuck, baby, look! Look how well you take me inside you-- _shit!”_

Rey wanted to look down, but it was taking all of her power to keep herself exactly as she was, her impending orgasm rendering her mindless. But her arm was still draped down her front and she _felt_ a nudge on her abdomen, from inside and out. God _damn_ that was the hottest fucking realization. With whatshisface and whateverhisname, their dicks had been just okay. They did their thing and she maybe felt good for a few minutes, but it just wasn’t that great. The main reason she _had_ such an active imagination when it came her to adventures with vibrator-Ben was because of the dissatisfaction she’d felt in the past. But now that she had the real thing, pumping into her with glorious dedication to her pleasure, she knew that she’d never sleep with anyone else ever again.

“You’re _mine_ , Ben. Mine, mine, mi--!!” she broke off in a silent scream, her orgasm stealing her breath away. Her hands gripped his abs, needing to find some sort of purchase as she came, so hard and so wonderful and so mind-numbingly perfect.

Cursing loudly, he bucked up into her one final time before he came again, a ragged moan coming from deep in his throat. “Fuuuuuck, fuck, _Rey!”_ His body was well and truly spent, and as he collapsed back against the bed, he grabbed her and pulled her down with him, their heart beats trying to merge together through their chests.

He tried to catch his breath, his eyes stuck closed, and he ran a shaky hand up along her back, stroking her spine as he gave a few more spurts inside her before slipping from her body.

“I'm yours, and you're mine,” he murmured into the air beside her head. He lifted her head up with a finger beneath her chin and kissed her sweetly, sealing the words. “Now,” he panted breathlessly against her mouth, “We get to tell everyone what they've apparently already been thinking.” He rumbled a laugh before burying his face into her neck, holding her close against him.

She groaned, letting her entire body sink into his. “Do we _have_ to? I hate it when any of them are right, _especially_ Poe.”

“I suppose we could also keep it our little secret for a while, too…” he snickered. “Maybe it would stop Poe from trying to get into your pants. Doubtful, because it's Poe, but still. If he hits on you in front of me, I'm not even sure what I'll do.” He chuckled again, shaking his head.

Rey rolled her eyes, nuzzling into his neck. “You know he doesn’t really mean it. I think he sees me as more of a little sister than you ever did. I mean, he’s not the one who untied my bikini top last summer.”

“Hey! That was an accident...sort of. Okay, not really,” he admitted, smirking. “It was hardly fair for you to wear that thing, though. It barely covered anything. _Not_ that I'm complaining.”

“So why didn’t you just _say_ something then? I spent all of last summer after our vacation feeling so awkward around you because I thought you might but then I convinced myself I was crazy because there was no way you could possibly because you sounded so _sincere_ about it being an accident and you reacted with something akin to revulsion,” she babbled, all of those feelings resurfacing.

It had been a great day. They’d just come home from Florida and were having a pool day to celebrate Ben’s last day off of work, inviting a left-behind Poe over as well. She’d worn the bikini she’d left behind, the one that was emerald green and barely covered her lithe dancer’s body. She had felt sparks at Disney, had thought he miiiiiight and this would help, but then he’d run from her like she was diseased and she’d felt embarrassed.

“Because everyone thought we were basically siblings. I couldn't be interested in someone that was practically my sister, right? It was morally wrong, and even though I felt that attraction, I had to do something to hide it. And my hard-on, too. I don't think I've ever left a pool so fast to go jerk off in a bathroom.” He kissed her forehead in reassurance before settling back against the bed again. He felt guilty for giving her that self-doubt, but he’d thought he was trying to be a better person by not giving into his impulses.

“You should have just told me,” she mumbled stubbornly, pressing a kiss to his finally-calming heart. “I would have much preferred being with you last year than wading through all those stupid college boys. They’re all convinced they’re God’s gift to womankind and all they want to do is grope your chest and your ass and whine at you to suck their cock.”

“Fine. The next time I have feelings for you, I'll be sure to let you know,” he laughed again. “Unfortunately, that part never really changes, either. Because I definitely want to grope you all over and I am definitely not averse to you sucking me off again.” He rolled them so that she was pressed into the bed with him hovering over her, and he licked along her neck, taking in the slightly salty, sweaty tang of her skin. “So how about that round three?”

Of course he was joking, since she'd worn him out so thoroughly and he _did_ still have work to do.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, old man,” she said, that cheeky little grin sliding back into place. She reached up and behind him to grab his ass, giving him a squeeze. “And you can touch my ass if I touch yours, too.”

“You act like that's the first time I've had my ass grabbed,” he smirked. “Let’s just say that in college, Poe and I did some experimentation. Spoiler: he's an absolute power bottom. Don't let that suave attitude fool you.”

“Why do you think he was pushing us to have sex so much? He said _everyone_ should get the chance to experience your cock, although now I guess no one else will because I don’t share. Well...wait...I am in college and I’m supposed to be in that phase so I might be convinced to share with a partner or two. We can always call Rose and Finn for a foursome.”

“I've seen the looks she's given me,” Ben said, shivering. “She looks like she'd devour my soul. I don't know. I'm not too keen on sharing, either.  I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to watching you two…”

She laughed, shaking her head. “She’d devour us _both_. From what I know about her and Finn’s sex life, and from what I’ve been forced to listen to, she’s absolutely the dominant one.” She then shrugged, pulling away from him to give him a thoughtful look. “But she is a great kisser, has a great command of tongue. I suppose that would translate well.”

“Never a bad thing to have,” he agreed easily. “But I've only just gotten you. I don't think I'm ready for any of that yet.” Looking around his room, the one where they had so many memories of playing board games and watching movies, he frowned. They would still be creating memories here, only of the different sort, as well. “How did I get so lucky?” He'd been asking himself that for the better part of the past two hours, but he supposed maybe fate or destiny had a hand in it.

He'd literally been there the day she was born, and if you'd have asked ten year old Ben if he knew the bundle in his arms in that picture would turn out to be one of the most important people in his life, then he'd have said you were crazy. He supposed it didn't matter how they met, or how they came to be where they were, in a sense, and he was grateful for the added connection they'd had time to build on.

“Rey...if for some reason this doesn't work out...you'll still be there, right?” He needed to make sure, and while he had no plans of calling any of this off, if she decided she didn't want to do this, then maybe they could continue being friends.

It would be awkward, since he knew the taste of her, how her body felt around his and in his arms, but he could push through that if it meant they'd still be friends.

“Ben, where in the world would I go? I just snagged the most incredible man in the _galaxy_ , he somehow wants me of all people, and he thinks _I’m_ the one who would leave? I’m waiting for you to wake up and realize you don’t really want this, that I was just an impulse and an itch and now that’s done,” Rey said. She then smiled softly, reaching out to move some of his sweaty hair from his forehead tenderly. “Do you know what the best thing about this is? I know you. I know every single thing about you. I know how to make you happy and what makes you sad and how to talk you down from being mad. I know all of your favorites, aside from sexual positions, which I’m sure we’ll get to soon enough. I’ve loved you since I was born and I’ve been _in_ love with you since I was thirteen. You were my first crush and the man I held everyone else to because I know how crazy you can make me but how insanely happy, too, so why shouldn’t I expect someone else to? Except that I never needed to. You were always the right one, I just had to wait for you to pick me back.”

Biting his lip, he nodded slowly, not taking his eyes from her face. She was so beautiful. She always had been, but now he was seeing her in a different light, like she was glowing from within. “I've been stupid, and I'm sorry. I made you wait, and lost out on valuable time with you. I just...I can't believe you want me, too. It's hard to process, is all. You've always been the joy of my life, even when you were being annoying during your preteens. You thought you were too cool for me, I remember you saying once. 'Who wants to hang around with a guy in college?’ I think your exact words were. That hurt more than I care to admit, but now I realize you were just trying to guard yourself. I get it. But I'm here, you're here, and we're going to make this the best relationship ever. My dad, though...Han’s going to kill me.”

She grimaced at that. “My _grandfather_ is going to kill you. Leia is probably just going to cry from happiness. You know she’s been secretly pushing for this for years. You know that dress she gave me today? It was hers in the 90’s and I don't think I’ve ever seen a dress that short. She handed it over and suggest I wear it _next_ brunch.”

“Are you kidding? Jesus, Leia,” he grumbled. “Well, wouldn't want to disappoint her. I thoroughly expect you to wear this short dress. And then sometime during brunch, I'm going to take you up to my old room and show you just how much I appreciate it. And you can practice being quiet.”

She bit her lip and ground down on him in a slow, circular motion. “I don’t have to be quiet right now, though. Why don’t you give me something to scream about?”

“You really _are_ trying to kill me,” he muttered. Gently, he moved her off of him and laid her back down, dragging himself down her body, kissing along the way. “I'm going to eat you out again, because you just taste too damn good,” he said against her skin. He didn't care that she was covered in their combined spend, not even a little. “And I want you to scream good and loud for me, baby.”

And she did, as he worshipped her body the way he'd always wanted to, with her thighs trembling around his head. When she was spent, he took her one more time, filling her back up with his come before insisting that he get started on his work as the night wore on.

She helped him with highlighting, and even found the crucial part of the timeline he'd been looking for. After a little persuasion that she go into law, and an adamant refusal, they'd curled up in his bed and drifted to sleep, holding each other, and watching _Star Wars_.


	4. Chapter 4

Rey tried to ignore the feeling in her chest when Ben left early the next morning, kissing her soundly and promising to talk soon. He just had to go to work, he wasn’t just _not_ going to call, he was just being a responsible lawyer who was trying to keep an innocent man from death. She shouldn’t be so selfish and guilt filled her as a request from him to just stay in bed with her died on her tongue. He needed to go to work. He’d talk to her when he could. He loved her.

She made herself feel better by playing into the fantasy that she was his wife and this was their apartment, going around and cleaning up after the mess they’d made last night. She washed his sheets and made his bed, unloading the dishwasher full of dishes from the dinner they had made together last night in between grueling research. Should she tell him that she used to have this fantasy _before_ last night? That the reason she used to love spending the night (besides sleeping in a bed full of his scent) was that she liked to pick up after him because _someone_ needed to look after him. Ben was clean by nature, but she still liked to help where she could (not that her own room reflected this urge. She was pretty sure it was just some silly feminine impulse that assured she was desirable to a chosen partner and could keep a nice house).

She went through the fridge and made him a casserole for dinner, leaving a note on the fridge with how to cook it. She knew how often he forgot to eat after work, it had always worried her. And finally, before she left for good, she took a very racy photo of herself, stark nude and showing off her flexibility, in his bed, and sent it to him.

 

< _Have a good day at work ;-* Thinking of you >_

 

__________

 

They were losing. That's all Ben could keep thinking as they awaited the judge to go over the notes he'd been keeping through every cross-examination. Judge Ackbar was a man that seemed to follow his own heart, despite facts looking him in the face. There was no way Ben’s client was guilty--anyone with a brainstem and decent reading comprehension could see that. Apparently that wasn't enough for the older man, though. No, he wanted to take a recess to further go over the case again and come back with his decision after lunch.

Rolling his eyes as he left the courthouse to go wait on the steps outside, hoping the fresh air would soothe his nerves, Ben whipped out his phone...and nearly choked on the picture he'd received. Dear lord, this woman…

 

_ <It should be illegal to contort yourself into that position. I'm definitely going to have you do that next time.> _

_ <What are you up to?> _

 

_ <Meeting Rose and Finn for lunch.> _

_ <I made you a chicken and veggie casserole for dinner. Instructions on the foil <3 > _

 

_ <Are you going to tell them?> _

_ <Thank you, by the way. I'd be lost without you.> _

 

Rey’s heart warmed to that, a bright smiling blooming across her face.

“What are _you_ smiling so much at?” Rose asked, eyes squinting in suspicion.

“Nothing,” Rey lied quickly, nonchalance in her manner.  

 

< _Only if you want me to. > _

_ <Did you tell Poe?> _

 

_ <Haven't had a chance to talk to him yet.> _

_ <This case is kicking my ass. You can tell if you want to. Make it all official and everything. <3 > _

 

Ben lifted his head to watch a few people walking by the fountain in front of him, and he felt a stab of jealousy at how open the couples were, holding hands and everything, some even kissing and tossing a coin in. One day, hopefully soon, he'd do that with Rey.

“Guys, I have to tell you something,” Rey announced, looking up at the couple across from her.

“Oh my god, you’re pregnant with Ben’s baby!” Rose immediately cheered, sitting up straight and clapping her hands.

“ _What!?_ Rose, you were sitting _next_ to me when we got our shot. Neither one of us is at risk for getting pregnant for the next six weeks,” Rey scoffed.

“You only answered half of that,” Rose pointed out slyly.

“She’s blushing! Rey, did you seriously?” Finn gasped.

Rey nodded, a laugh bubbling out of her. “Yeah. Yes. _Yes_. Ben and I are officially dating. And _yes_  Rose, we sealed the deal.”

“Oh my god _, yes!_ _Finally!_ I am so glad that one, you and Ben are officially an item, and two, that you finally got laid. Finn and I were _just_ discussing asking you to join us,” Rose said. “Finn said yes.”

“ _Rose_!” Finn hissed. He looked at Rey apologetically. “Sorry. You, um, you know how hard it is to say no to her.”

“It’s okay, Finn,” Rey said, giving him a soft smile. “We actually discussed inviting you, too, but Rose _wasn’t_ invited. Something about her devouring souls…”

“Hey!” Rose gasped.

Rey laughed and grabbed her phone to update her boyfriend. _Boyfriend_.

< _They are excited. > _

_ <And were apparently about to invite me into a threesome. So. That’s a thing.> _

_ <How much longer are you in court?> _

 

Ben had to hide a smirk at that, imagining just how that conversation had gone down.

 

_ <Well, you're unbelievably attractive, so I don't blame them for the threesome offer.> _

_ <And it isn't looking too good, so could be a while.> _

_ <Dinner tonight? Apparently my girlfriend made a casserole that I won't be able to eat all by myself. Don't tell her that, though.> _

 

Rey smiled widely at that, bit her lip to stifle her giggle.

“Ugh, gross. Look at how in love she is. All her dreams came true and it’s sickeningly sweet,” Rose sneered teasingly. “Speaking of coming…”

“Five times,” Rey replied instantly.

“ _Five!?_ Damn, was he snorting viagra or something?” Finn gasped.

 

< _I’d be happy to. > _

_ <And, of course, I’d love to help you de-stress after court.> _

< _Doesn’t your apartment have a pool. > _

_ <With private key access? _

_ <That we can keep locked if we wanted to?> _

_ <Just in case your girlfriend happened to get naked?> _

 

Damn it, unfortunately he had to go back inside here in a minute, as much as he wanted to stay out here and talk with Rey. As he stood and brushed his dress slacks off, he sent back:

 

_ <It does...although I know for a fact that public nudity is illegal. Trust me, I'm a lawyer.> _

_ <Gotta run, have fun with Finn and Rose. Tell them they do NOT get free roam of my cabinets now.> _

_ <Love you.> _

 

< _I love you, too > _

_ <Boyfriend <3 > _

 

__________

 

When Rose almost spilled the beans during a girls afternoon out the following Saturday with Rey’s mother and grandmother, as well as Leia, Rey had to come clean. Leia and Satine were over the moon with excitement, while Clara seemed a bit worried. Clara was worried that Ben wasn’t attentive enough for her daughter, knowing his penchant for working long hours, but Leia gently reassured her that no one was more important to her son than Rey.

“He’s been obsessed with her since day one, even if he wouldn’t admit it,” Leia said, smirking proudly. “I always knew they were meant to be.”

“Our families will finally be one!” Satine sighed dreamily.

“Just as long as he makes time for you,” Clara emphasized again.

None of them pointed out the fact that Han never had for Ben.

Han, who Rey knew Ben was nervous to tell. When she got home that night, she called Ben and asked him to tell his father so that there would be no awkwardness at brunch the next day.

“Rey, it's Han. Of course it's going to be awkward no matter what,” Ben protested, pacing his apartment nervously. He wasn't sure why he was so anxious. Maybe it was something to do with wanting his father’s approval, even if said father had been absent for most of his life.

“But he loves me,” she pointed out, settled so comfortably in her bed. She wished she could be in his, rubbing his back like she had a hundred times in the past to help calm him down, but they had agreed to arrive separately tomorrow. She hadn't seen him in person since Monday. His case, she declared, was bullshit.

“Yeah, it isn't you I'm worried about,” he mumbled. Of course Han loved Rey. Han loved pretty much anyone that wasn't Ben, it seemed. “All right, all right, fine. I'll fucking call him.”

“It will be fine, just call your dad,” she said gently. “I love you. Good luck.”

Ben hung up the phone with a frown, staring down at it as though it would burn him. He chewed at his lip, shaking his head still how childish he was acting. It was just a phone call. It wasn't like it was going to change anything between them, if one person didn't approve of what they were doing. He didn't want to do this, but he'd told Rey he would.

Hitting the number in his contact list, Ben lifted the phone to his ear and waited, listening to the dial.

“Hello?” came Han’s gruff voice on the other line.

“Hey, dad…” Ben said slowly.

“What did you do?” Han demanded instantly, though his voice seemed almost bored. Back in his younger days, Ben occasionally got into some trouble here and there, though nothing _that_ serious (that he was ever caught for, anyway).

Ben fought back a snarky response, electing to simply state the facts, “I’m dating Rey.”

It was quiet on the line for a good thirty seconds, and he could practically see Han’s face turning red.

“What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing?” Han asked sternly, his voice strained.

Ben shrugged, though he felt his own temper starting to flare. What was he doing? He was doing what he wanted with another consenting adult. It wasn't like she was _actually_ his sister, so there was no issue with that. And Han was a decade older than Leia, anyway, so what did it matter, old man?

Oh shit, had he said all of that out loud?

“Benjamin Solo,” Han seethed in a low, warning voice. “Your mother and my relationship is an _entirely_ different matter. I did not have a hand in _raising_ her. We met when she was _already_ a consenting adult, not when she was born. Jesus, Ben, were you secretly grooming her this whole time? Is _that_ why she hasn’t had any luck with guys? You just buddied up to her, _waiting_ for her to be of age, and ruined any other guy for her?”

Han let out a low growl, his frustrations and anger seeping through. “She’s a fantastic girl and deserves a nice guy. Can you really be that guy for her, Ben? Even after you two made up three years ago, you’ve kept your rage from her. She has no idea how violent and unstable you really are. You can’t hurt her, Ben. Not like what happened after Bazine. It would absolutely break her and I would hate to see her crying, right next door.”

“Do you even _know_ what happened with Bazine?” Ben snarled back. “Of course not, because you've never cared enough to actually ask. You've just assumed you knew, when you don't know shit. And this is not anything like that. For you to accuse me of grooming her...what the actual fuck. No, you know what? Fuck you. Don't bother coming to brunch tomorrow, it'll just end badly if you do.” His chest was heaving, rage thick in his veins. He had the sudden urge to just crush his phone, but that wouldn't really solve anything, so he just opted to angrily jab at the end call button and chuck it onto the couch.

“Ben, brunch is at my house. You cannot uninvite me to my own home,” Han scoffed.

Growling, Ben stalked back over to the phone and made _sure_ the call ended this time before flinging the damn thing away from him again.

He should have just left the family long ago, honestly. Stupid father that Leia kept forgiving time and time again. He seethed quietly for a bit. Rey didn't have anything to worry about. She calmed him, helped him be less prone to fits of rage. She'd never seen that side of him, he realized.

Sure, she'd seen him mad, sure, but not pissed enough to start throwing stuff or mad enough to go blow off steam on a punching bag (instead of someone’s face…). Sighing, he picked his phone back up and sent her a text, his hand shaking:

 

_ <That went about as well as expected.> _

 

_ <Han didn’t take it well???> _

_ <I’m sorry, baby. You know your dad just wants what is best for us.> _

_ <He loves you and cares.> _

 

_ <You don't think I tried to groom you into this, do you?> _

_ <He basically called me a child predator, so no, he doesn't love me or care.> _

 

Rey blinked, making sure she actually read that right.

 

< _What?????? > _

_ <What does that even mean!?!?!?> _

_ <It’s not your fault I’ve been in love with you my whole life.> _

 

“Maybe it is,” Ben mumbled to himself, throwing an arm over his eyes as he sprawled out against the couch. Everyone else was happy for them. Why couldn't Han be, for once in his life? It would be so much easier if he was just gone, honestly. After a moment, he lifted his arm and brought the phone back to his face, squinting against the bright light.

 

_ <Whatever, it’s done. I'm honestly thinking about skipping tomorrow. I just don't want to see him.> _

 

_ <...my dad wants to talk to you, though> _

_ <We need to get it all over with> _

 

_ <Your dad is at least somewhat approachable. Fine, I'll do it for you, but that's it.> _

 

Oh, how easily she had him tangled around her little fingers. She always had, he supposed. Ever since she was tiny, she just had to flutter those big eyes of hers at him and he melted. Fuck.

 

< _Ben, if it honestly makes you that unhappy, we can skip. > _

_ <Stay in bed together all day, doing whatever you want.> _

_ <You can talk to my dad and grandfather some other day.> _

_ <But you WILL eventually have to face Han. He’s your dad and he is honestly just looking out for you, for us.> _

_ <It’s not like he doesn’t think we are good for each other.> _

_ <...right?> _

 

Fuck. _Fuck._ Why did she have to push at the topics he didn't want to talk about? Sighing, he pushed the button to dial her, waiting until she picked up before he said, “He _doesn't_ think we’re good for each other. Or, rather, that I'm not good enough for you.”

He closed his eyes again, listening to the sound of her breathing on the other end. “There are some things I haven't told you, Rey,” he murmured quietly.

“What could I not possibly know about you?” Rey asked flippantly, scoffing at the idea. It seemed ridiculous to think that there could ever be anything she didn’t know about him. They were _best friends_ and best friends didn’t hide things (except masturbating to the thought of the other while underage...that was best left alone until mutual feelings are discussed and age of consent it reached).

He swallowed hard, not sure how to really approach the subject. Best to be outright with it, or something. “I have extreme anger issues.”

“Is this supposed to be a surprise? Ben, I’ve seen you get mad before plenty of times,” she replied easily.

“But have you seen me throw someone through a wall before?” he asked, his voice soft. He felt almost ashamed at having to explain himself like this. All those times he'd had to hide bruises or cuts whenever he'd visited her at home when she was younger.

“Did you just say _through_ a wall?” she repeated in a quiet whisper, her heart stopping for a moment. Wait, what? “Who have you done that to before? Why? _How_?”

“It doesn't really matter _who_ it was, but it happened, and I'm not proud of it. You don't see that side, because I'm obviously not like that around you.”

“I think it does matter who. If someone was bothering you, you have the right to defend yourself,” she argued, somehow trying to defend him to himself. There wasn’t a “side” of him that she didn’t see because there was no other side of him. She knew Ben. There was nothing he had ever hidden from her. This was a ridiculous topic.

Clenching his jaw, he fought the urge to grind his teeth together. “It was Mitaka,” he muttered under his breath. “He’d lost an important document for one of my cases, and I was really stressed...like I said, I'm not proud.” Everyone knew how gentle Mitaka was, how absolutely _unfit_ for the high-stress job he had. Any minute now, Rey was going to come to her senses and realize just how awful he was.

Rey felt her blood turn cold. Mitaka? Sweet, stuttering, always gave her a smile when she came to bring Ben lunch, Mitaka? He was so gentle and she knew he’d probably bruised quickly, if not broken something. Ben had done that? Her Ben? She shook her head, not believing the words he himself was admitting to. No. No. That wasn’t possible. He wasn’t like that. She hadn’t even realized she was so upset until she felt a tear slide down her cheek. What was she upset for? This wasn’t true.

“No. No, you didn’t...you just...you may have...not _through_ a wall,” she whispered, trying so hard to piece together her thoughts. 

“I did,” he said quietly, frowning. “I've since apologized, but still. He's terrified of me, now. So maybe Han has a point. I'd never hurt _you_ , but I'm not as good as you might have thought. I never brought any of it up because you're so pure and good, and you make me feel so much better. Calmer.”

“Oh Ben,” she whispered softly, affectionately. “You’ll only sound bad in comparison if you keep referring to me like that. You’ve always held me on some pedestal, calling me good and innocent and sweet. But you know I’m not. You’ve rescued me from being drunk underage, you’ve seen my Snap stories when I snuck out of the house in high school and now in college, _and_ you coached me through losing my virginity, also underaged. I’m not exactly the holy virgin, epitome of goodness and all that junk. I’m just as much of a human as you are. And losing you shit one time...well, you know it was wrong and you apologized. I can’t ask for any more from you.”

Wincing at that, Ben sighed heavily. “It wasn't just _one_ time, Rey. It’s happened with Han, too. During your teenage phase, when we weren't really talking, that was a pretty dark time, honestly. I nearly killed him.”

She dropped her phone. She doesn’t even notice at first, until her hand begins to tingle at the empty sensation. She blinked down at it, seeing the screen still lit up with the display proving that yes, he’s still there. Her head aches. Her heart aches. She numbly picked up her phone, wondering how she was going to find words this time. All she can do is…

“Tell me what happened.”  

Adjusting himself on the couch, Ben took in a deep breath, trying to decide how best to describe what had actually happened. “When I was younger...Snoke took me in as an apprentice for the firm. That was my internship. Snoke’s a really vile man--really money hungry, willing to do whatever to get all the clients off, even if they're guilty. I try to only take cases of people I believe are innocent. Anyway, it wasn't necessarily about any particular thing. More of how he was never there combined with how he acts when he is around and everything. I was sick of it, of him always coming around for a bit, trying to get back into good graces and then bailing again. And I damn near killed him. I nearly stabbed him through the heart because I was just _so. sick._ of him always doing the same routine. It would've been so much better if he'd just never come home one of those times. I wished he hadn't. I still sort of do.”

She had no idea how to respond to that. To her, Han was the loveable guy next door who always came back from wherever he went with endless presents for her. He loved sitting in the den with her dad and telling stories about his adventures, Rey looking up at him adoringly from the floor by her dad’s feet. She always missed Han was he was away because he had the best stories. She remembered telling Ben how cool she thought Han was, but Ben would always just shrug and insist that her dad was better before distracting her with some game or another. Sure, she knew that things weren’t all rainbows and happiness at the Solo house; she’d heard Leia and Han screaming on summer nights when the windows were open, but she never thought about what that had done to Ben. By the time she was old enough to realize what was happening, he wasn’t living there anymore.

In the last three years since Ben had reconnected with her and also his family, she had thought things were okay. Sure, she noticed the strange tenseness those first few brunches that Ben showed up for, but she had always attributed that to the awkwardness of seeing each other again after so long. And in the last year, at the very least, Ben and Han had seemed perfectly fine. Ben helped around the house with projects. Ben asked Han questions first. She was so sure that he was just finally out of his rebellious phase and they were finally going to have a great father-son relationship. But now it made sense. Now the little jumps from Leia whenever either of them got too passionate about something clicked better. Now she knew why they never had out any of the sharp knives. Now she knew why there had been distance in the first place. What she had taken as him just being busy with school and his internship was really him avoiding the house where he’d almost committed a crime.

A _murder_.

“Oh,” was all she could whisper out.  

“Yeah, 'oh’,” he mumbled, feeling strangely numb. “Anyway, I completely understand if you're...put off. I would be, too, I guess. But no, things are not sunshine and rainbows between me and him, and it's probably better that I just stop hoping they will be.”

“Ben,” she began. But then she stopped. What did she say now? How in the world did she reconcile this information with the man she’d known all nineteen years of her life? “Ben, I love you. I’m willing to...I want to help. In any way I can. Because I know you, and I trust you. But only if you want help and if you trust me right back.”

“Of course I trust you, Rey,” he said. “I just need to get this case over with and then get away from Snoke, I think. It’s definitely not helping. Actually, I think a lot of the influence comes from him. I just need to finish this case and then go to another law firm or something. Maybe start my own, I don't know. I just don't want you to think that I'm all...different now, I guess. Like this information is going to taint how you see me.”

“I’m glad,” she said, sighing with relief. He knew it was bad. He knew he needed to get away. He was going to fix this and she was going to help him. It was going to be alright. There was nothing they couldn’t overcome. “I love you, Ben. Please don’t forget that. I love you no matter what happens, even if you suddenly decide you don’t want me after all. I’m still always going to be your best friend and I will help you in any way I can.”

“I love you too, Rey,” he murmured back, wanting nothing more than to just hold her close and sleep this awful night away. “I don't suppose you could come over…?” he asked hesitantly. He knew they were supposed to be arriving separately to the brunch tomorrow, but he didn't care about that anymore. He just wanted her and he wanted to reassure himself that she still wanted him, too. Sure, she'd just said she would be there, but he wanted to know to what capacity, because he wasn't letting her go anytime soon.

“Absolutely. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, maybe less if I drive my bike through the park,” she promised.

It was late enough that surely no one would notice a dirt bike going through the park...right? Maybe cops would take “Sorry Officer, my boyfriend needs me” as a good enough excuse. She was going to do it, regardless. Ben needed her and, if she was being honest, she needed him right now, too. He’d told her some pretty heavy information tonight and she still loved him, but she needed to make sure that he was still the man she loved on every level. He would never hurt her, she knew that, but he’d inflicted harm on others and she just needed to look in his eyes and see the same Ben she always saw looking back at her, just to be sure. And if she didn’t, she’d help him remember who that was. It was as simple as that.

Kenobi’s aren’t quitters.


	5. Chapter 5

The rush of relief he felt when there was a knock on the door was damn near palpable. Ben pushed himself off of the couch and went to open the door for her, even though she had a key. Stepping aside for her, he closed it and leaned against it, watching her almost sadly. He wanted her, of course he did, but he didn't know how she'd react to him just grabbing her and hugging her tightly after the information he'd shared. “Hey,” he whispered, trying to muster up a small smile.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, like she always did. Nothing was different. She only needed to take one look at him, to see the look in his sad amber eyes and know that he was still her Ben.

“Hi,” she replied, holding him close.

Immediately snaking his arms around her waist, he nearly crushed her against him, pressing his face into her neck and shoulder. “I missed you,” he said, thinking about how he hadn't seen her all week. It felt so _right_ with her in his arms, like she belonged no place else, and if possible, he would keep her there if it meant he'd stop hurting other people, too.

“I’m here now,” she whispered, bringing a hand up to gently stroke his head. “You’re okay, Ben. I’ve got you. I love you.”

He nodded against her before picking her up, moving to sit back on the couch with her straddling his waist. He wasn't trying to make it sexual, no grinding or anything. He just wanted her pressed against his body. “I love you, too. I'm sorry to drop this bomb on you. I'll even try to be good tomorrow, just need some time to cool off, is all. Solos run hot-blooded, you know that,” he tried to joke.

She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, smoothing his hair back. “I know, baby, I know. We’ll do whatever you want. Whatever you’re comfortable with. Don’t worry about anything.” She smiled fondly down at him, smoothing his hair back one last time before trailing the back of her hand down his jaw. She loved him so much, it almost hurt.

“Well,” he sighed, looking around the room before looking back up at her. “I'm comfortable with anything involving you. If you're there with me, it'll be alright.” She'd always been able to calm him down just with her mere presence, and knowing that they'd be able to touch more than normal would greatly help his frame of mind, too. He could distract himself with groping at her breasts and ass like he'd promised. There was nowhere else he'd rather be than anywhere she was, no matter how horrible the situation.

“Okay,” she agreed. She rested her hands on his shoulders, gently rubbing her thumbs across his taut muscles. “Have you gone to therapy? I know you don't have a lot of time between work and, um, more work, but maybe it would help to talk it out with someone. And I will go with you if you want. I will move my school schedule around to whatever you need.”

“After this case, I will,” he promised, leaning up to kiss her gently. “I don't know how successful it’ll be, but I will give it an honest try. I don't want to be this angry anymore,” he sighed, settling back against the couch. “For now, I just want to go to bed with you and worry about tomorrow when it comes.”

She leaned forward, brushing her lips across his cheek and down his neck in a series of feather-light kisses. She massaged down his chest, making a small moan of delight to feel his muscles. After their reconnection, they began strength training together. Rey loved that he pushed her and Ben loved that she cheered him on. She’d fantasized at the time about being rewarded with kisses every time she was successful in a new weight. She wondered if he’d be up to this when his case was over and he had time again (she had a feeling that answer was yes…)

Gripping her beneath her thighs, he shifted until he was able to stand with her, slowly making his way back to the bedroom. “Thank you for coming,” he said against her ear, giving it a gentle nip before he sucked lightly at the lobe. He planned to make her keep coming, too, but that would be whenever they got to that part. He didn't mind taking his sweet time with her. Anything to destress, and if it made her feel good too.

“I’d do anything for you,” she promised before latching onto the spot where his neck met his shoulder and sucking, _hard_. She knew they were going to see their families tomorrow and she knew their families knew. So what if she showed off their newly evolved relationship? As far as she knew, only Han disapproved, and she was still determined to figure that one out.

“You're too good to me,” he rasped out, distracted by the way her mouth latched onto his skin so perfectly.

Lowering her down onto the bed, he hooked his fingers into her cotton shorts and pulled them down her thighs, taken yet again by how golden and smooth her skin was. “I'm not giving this up, what we have, no matter what. Not because of what anyone else thinks. I don't care about that,” he said, kissing across the inside of her thighs.

“I have dreamed of being Mrs. Benjamin Solo since I was born. You are not getting rid of me that soon,” she breathed honestly, shivering pleasantly at the feeling of his breath on her thighs. “I’d marry you tomorrow if you wanted to. No one is going to separate us.”

Pausing as her words sank into his lust-addled brain, he looked up at her, his breath still ghosting over her. “Really?” So soon? His heart quickened, knowing that she'd meant every word, but he couldn't help asking anyway. He'd figured maybe she would want to go slow, maybe be an actual boyfriend and girlfriend for a bit before they moved to anything else. Granted, they were basically that before, just...without the sex. They'd still touched each other a lot, though, even platonically. Ben had a thing for touching her lower back, just the same way she had a penchant for throwing herself at him and kissing his cheek. They'd basically been a couple already, he guessed. Would it really be so strange to get married?

“Yes,” she whispered. “It’s okay if you want to wait, but just know that if you asked, my answer is yes.”

She could just imagine what it would be like to being here permanently. She’d have a long commute to school, or else he could live with her during the year in the apartments on campus reserved for married couples. Of course then _he_ would have a long commute, unless he actually quit his job like he’d said…she hadn’t quite figured out the specifics yet, but she knew they would figure it out. If he wanted to.

He blinked at her in surprise, before smiling slowly. “I'll keep that in mind,” he murmured, a wicked idea forming as he leaned forward to lick her slowly. “You know,” he said after a second. “We _could_ always move in together. Go apartment hunting…” Another broad swipe of his tongue and an added finger. “Somewhere in between here and your school…” He pumped his finger in and out of her languidly before adding a second as he smiled. “Maybe get a dog.”

“No, Ben,” she moaned, grinding against his face. “Cat, Ben. We’d get a-- _ah!!!--_ a cat.”

“A cat?” he sniffed before shrugging. “All right, fine, a cat.” Grazing his mouth back over her, he thrusted his fingers faster, twisting them to rub against that specific spot that had her squirming with desire. “You can pick out the bedsheets, the curtains, whatever you want, and I might veto every single one of them, but I mean it with love.” He was so excited about doing stupid, mundane shopping for _their_ place, if that interested her (and judging by her moans, it did). “And we’ll get a new _bed_ ,” he smirked as he nuzzled back into her and sucked on her clit again, focusing all of his further attention down to this area of her, his fingers creating a very wet sound in the otherwise quiet room as he fucked her with them.

“ _Good_. Because I hate making love to you where you fucked other girls,” she said, reaching down to pull him in closer to her.

Two years ago, when she was seventeen and still denying just _how_ much she wanted Ben, she’d barged in when he was on a rebound date after the whole Bazine thing. She’d plopped down between them on the couch and, after the girl who she couldn’t remember the name of had gotten annoyed and left, she’d cuddled up with him on his bed, using the excuse that that was where his VHS player was and she wanted to watch an older movie. She'd felt proud that she had won as they sat side by side and she’d fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder, even though she woke up alone. She had convinced herself that she’d done it because she wanted to save him from a bad decision of a very bad rebound. It wasn’t because she was possessive or selfish or something.

“Jealous, are you?” he asked curiously, adding a third finger and curling them up into her, dragging across that textured area over and over as he sucked her harder.

“ _Ben!!!”_ she screamed, her whole body twitching up violently. “ _Yes!_ Okay? I was--am--whatever! Just fuck me, Ben!”

His lips curled up into a devilish grin to hear her plead with him before he withdrew his fingers from her and sucked them clean, moaning at the taste. “Since you asked so nicely,” he whispered darkly as he stood at the end of the bed, slipping his shirt and pants off quickly. He just needed her, he needed to be _in_ her, _now._

He crawled over her, kissing up her stomach to her chest and neck, sucking lightly in a spot mirroring the one she'd put her mouth on earlier. He guessed they probably should have spoken about birth control or something, but he knew she was on something and obviously they were both clean, but maybe he should have offered up a condom anyway. He'd already rawed her several times before, but maybe it was still polite to ask. He had a feeling she'd probably hit him for offering though.

“Do you want a condom?” he asked anyway.

“You’re joking, right?” she asked, pulling back to furrow her brow at him. “I mean, we can if you want to, but I thought you liked doing it the natural way. _I_ like doing it that way.”

“I do like it without, just figured I should ask out of courtesy,” he shrugged, leaning down to kiss her soundly. “I realized I hadn't asked the last time...s.” Giving a cheeky grin, he wrapped one of her legs around his waist and lined himself up with her. “And you just feel way too fucking _good,”_ he moaned softly as he sank into her.

“I’ve got six more weeks on this shot before I go in again,” she sighed out, so happy to be full of him. She smirked up at him, sweetness melting away as something dangerous sparkled in her eyes. “So fuck me like you mean it, Solo.”

Raising an eyebrow, he smirked back and gave himself one pump into her, saying, “I think I quite like your dirty little mouth. Should’ve known you’d be into that.” He thrusted again, a bit harder this time, picking up a pace that had his arms straining to hold himself up above her. He could fuck her clear across his bed and still never have enough of her.

“Should have known you’d want a dirty girl. Although you _do_ seem to have a thing for doe-eyed innocence,” she teased, even as he fucked into her so perfectly. She affected that perfect look of innocence, staring up at him with her eyes wide and her lips parted just so. “Oh! Oh! You’re just so--so-- _big!_ I don't think you’ll fit!” she whimpered in a high-pitched voice.

Groaning, he shook his head, even more turned on now (if that was even possible) and gave her a look. “That’s...hardly fair, Rey. Although we both know you are _far_ from innocent, taking my cock like you are. You may fool everyone else, but not me.” He gave her a devilish grin and shifted the angle of his hips a bit more, leaning down to lick along her throat. “But that's okay, I'll make it fit, baby, I'll make it in fit your tight little innocent cunt and stretch you out so good.”

“Oh god! You’re gonna--you’re gonna tear me apart!” she cried out, lolling her head against the pillow. “Oh, oh, _oh!_ ”

For all her teasing, she _was_ deliciously full of him and it did feel so, so amazing. She was almost sad she hadn’t saved her first time to be with him, but she was also glad that she had already gotten the pain part over and done with so that Ben could treat her right.

“Yes I am,” he agreed lowly, pounding into her in earnest. He was going to split her in half, and some part of his mind thought he should probably not go along with this fantasy of theirs, but...to hell with it. Ben kissed her hard for a long moment as he stroked inside of her, trying to reach that specific angle that would have her writhing. He was determined to make her come again, and he somehow pushed himself even harder, needing to feel all of her around him. “Gonna tear this pretty little pussy up,” he growled, reaching down between them to rub mercilessly at her clit. “Gonna ruin you for anyone else but my cock, baby.”

She jolted at the sudden assault on her already-sensitive clit, a sharp cry escaping her lips. From it came a stream of words she was hardly conscious of, as honest as they were. “ _Fuck!_ Ben! Yes! Please, please, just like that! I don’t need anyone else’s cock ever again. Just yours. God, I only ever wanted yours! Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!”

Just as she was positive she really _was_ going to split in half, her body had mercy on her and her orgasm came, endorphins rushing her body as her come rushed out. She was a whimpering, shuddering mess, but a dreamlike smile was planted on her face in the haze of it. She was mewling tiny little “ohs" beneath him, spent and happy still to have him above her. This was truly what her dreams had been made of, expect the reality was so, _so_ much better.

“Come for me, Ben. Fill that innocent little pussy up. Claim it. Claim me as yours, forever,” she encouraged in an exhausted but enthusiastic voice, bringing her hands up to stroke his back lovingly.

Groaning long and low, Ben shivered as a thought ripped through his mind. _Claim me as yours, forever,_ she'd said. The only way to _really_ claim her was…

“Marry me, Rey,” he panted before it trailed off into a hiss between clenched teeth and he came. He filled her up until he could feel it sliding out around him to coat her thighs.

“Yes, Ben. Yes. Today, tomorrow, whenever you want. I’ve always been yours,” she panted out, officially blissed out of her rational mind. But she wanted this, she wanted _him_ so badly. How had fortune smiled so much on her? How had her dreams actually come true like this? “I love you, Ben. I love you so much.” she said, peppering kisses along what she could reach of his face.

Giving her an exhausted smile, he pushed their mouths together in a searing kiss, cradling the side of her face. “I love you, too,” he whispered back, pressing one more kiss against her forehead before he withdrew from her body and collapsed beside her on the bed. He threw his arm around her and pulled her into him as he buried his face against her shoulder. “Do you really want to marry me? I mean, that _was_ the lamest proposal ever. I don't even have a ring yet.”

“Hmmm, let me think...of _course_ I do, you dork. I don’t care about the ring at all, Ben. I just want to be with you forever,” she said. She sighed happily, melting into his arms. “Our moms are going to cry of happiness, without a doubt.”

“Yeah, well, you're getting a ring,” he told her, before a sudden idea sparked in his head. Without a word, he kissed her again and then rolled off the bed. He grabbed his boxers and yanked them back on before leaving the bedroom in a rush. She didn't care about the ring at all? Fine. But she was still getting one. So why not an onion ring?

Making a huge clatter in the kitchen, he preheated the oven, whipped a bag of them out of the freezer and dumped them onto a baking tray. Smirking to himself, he felt his heart flutter every time he thought about her. She was his _fiancee._ How had he gotten so lucky?

Rey tucked a sheet around her body and padded out into the kitchen, raising an eyebrow at him. “I know sex makes you hungry, but you want to eat _now?_ ”

“Is there a better time? This way, you're _so_ sexually satisfied you can't even get out of bed to steal my food,” he said with a very pointed glare. Rey was known on more than one occasion to love stealing his food. At restaurants, she stole his fries, at movies, she stole his candy; it didn't _really_ bother him, though.

She gave a mock-scoff of offense. “Surely you do not mean _I!?_ Why, I never! That’s it, that is the last straw, we are _through_ Benjamin Solo! Excuse me while I go find a man who _really_ loves me and understands that my stomach is the key to my cold and unforgiving heart.”

Laughing, he grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back against him, plucking one of the onion rings from the tray. “It’s cold and hard, just like your heart, but I think it'll do,” he whispered against her ear before turning her around towards him. He sank down onto one knee, holding up the little ring.

“Rey, will you accept this frozen, deep fried onion as a token of my affection? Will you let me bake it, and then let it fill you as a symbol of my love? Will you marry me?” He held her hand with the onion hovering just over her ring finger, eyes sincere, even though he was trying exceptionally hard not to laugh at the fact that he just proposed to her with a fucking onion.

“Oh Ben,” Rey whispered, her stupid, useless hormones immediately moving her to tears, even at such a ridiculous proposal. But it was the perfect proposal from him, for them. It was just another affirmation that they were meant to be together. “Yes, Ben, I will marry you. I promise to stop your heart for just a moment every single day for the rest of our lives, just like this fried snack wants to do.”

Grinning, he slipped the onion over her finger and rose up to kiss her soundly. He loved the idea of her stopping his heart. When Leia found out how he asked and just what he asked with, she was going to kill them both. Health fads be damned, Ben and Rey ate junk food, and that was that.


End file.
